Sphalerite with Chalcopyrite

specimen number:
2212359

location:
Ballard Mine, Cherokee Co., Kansas, USA

description:
A grouping of lustrous black sphalerite crystals 4.2 cm across set attractively up on a breccia matrix that is coated with micro sparkling crystals of quartz. Sharp shiny golden crystals of chalcopyrite are scattered throughout. In good condition with minimal micro-damage present.

The Ballard Mine, located near Baxter Springs in the extreme southeastern corner of Cherokee County, Kansas, was an active underground operation within the historic Tri-State Lead and Zinc Mining District. Geologically, the deposit is situated within Mississippi-age carbonate rocks of the Ozark Plateau, where lead and zinc sulfide ores were concentrated in brecciated chert beds and limestone formations. Mineralogically, the mine yielded typical Tri-State assemblages dominated by sphalerite and galena, accompanied by gangue minerals such as dolomite, calcite, and chert. Historically, heavy mining activity in this Kansas sector accelerated during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the Ballard Mine operating as a notable deep-extraction site before regional metal production permanently wound down and ceased across the district around 1970.

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