Quartz with Jamesonite, Sphalerite

specimen number:
2072284

location:
Herja Mine, Maramures Co., Romania

description:
The top of this matrix is covered with lustrous mostly gemmy crystals of quartz to 1.3 cm in size. These are dark in color due to inclusions of jamesonite. Classic material for this old locality, in good condition.

The Herja Mine, situated near Baia Mare in Maramures County, Romania, is a legendary locality within the Neogene volcanic arc of the Carpathian Mountains. Geologically, the deposit consists of complex hydrothermal vein systems hosted in volcanic and sedimentary rocks, formed during Tertiary-age magmatic activity. The mine is world-renowned for its diverse mineralogy, particularly its stibnite, galena, and quartz clusters often coated in siderite or calcite. Historically, mining and quarrying in the Baia Mare district date back to the Roman era, but modern industrial operations at Herja became significant in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Large-scale extraction of lead, zinc, and silver intensified under state-run enterprises during the 20th century, with the mine reaching its peak productivity between 1950 and 1990. Due to high operational costs and the transition to a market economy, the Herja Mine officially ceased commercial production in 2006. Despite its closure, the site remains a premier reference locality for European sulfide and sulfosalt mineralogy, with its historic tunnels and dumps still recognized for the exceptional aesthetic and scientific quality of the specimens they produced.

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