Sphalerite

specimen number:
2312211

location:
Krushev dol Mine, Madan, Smolyan, Bulgaria

description:

Brilliant lustrous gemmy green crystals of sphalerite measuring to 0.7 cm in size beautiful across a crystalline quartz matrix. In terrific condition. Superb for the species. This is the variety of the species many refer to as cleophane.

The Krushev dol Mine, situated within the famous Madan ore field of the Rhodope Mountains in southern Bulgaria, has a long mining history that dates back to ancient times, with evidence of ore extraction starting as early as the 4th century BC. Modern industrial scale mining developed significantly during the 20th century to extract valuable metal resources. Geologically, the deposit is part of a complex hydrothermal vein and replacement system hosted within metamorphic and carbonate rocks of the Central Rhodope Dome. The interaction between mineralizing fluids and the carbonate host rocks created an ideal environment for producing rich polymetallic sulfide ores containing lead and zinc, alongside world-class mineral specimens including galena, sphalerite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite.

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