Silver

specimen number:
8282423

location:
New Nevada mine, Batopilas, Chihuahua, Mexico

description:

A classic grouping of elongated twinned native silver crystals with minor calcite. In great condition.

The New Nevada mine, located in the rugged Batopilas district of southwestern Chihuahua, Mexico, was a legendary underground silver mining operation renowned for its spectacular deposits of native silver. Geologically, the mine exploits a complex series of Mesozoic-age calc-alkaline volcanic and intrusive rocks belonging to the Lower Volcanic Complex of the Sierra Madre Occidental, which were fractured by intense faulting. Hydrothermal fluids circulating through these structural fissures formed narrow epithermal veins composed primarily of calcite, actinolite, and pocket-filling masses of wire, arborescent, and crystalline native silver, completely lacking the heavy base-metal sulfide concentrations common to other Mexican silver districts. Historically, silver was discovered in the Batopilas region by Spanish explorers in 1632, but the New Nevada vein system itself became a major focus of intensive underground development during the late nineteenth century under the management of the Batopilas Mining Company, led by Alexander Shepherd. This corporate era saw the sinking of deep shafts and the construction of extensive drainage tunnels, including the famous Porfirio Diaz tunnel, driving peak production from the 1880s until the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution disrupted operations around 1910. Following decades of sporadic, small-scale artisanal leasing and intermittent exploration by various mining syndicates throughout the mid-to-late twentieth century, large-scale commercial extraction remained quiet until renewed geological interest led to modern exploratory drilling and small-scale targeted tunneling projects that continue into 2026.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.