Sphalerite with Dolomite

specimen number:
5008128

location:
Las Manforas Mine, Cantabria, Spain

description:
Thick lustrous translucent deep orange red crystallized sphalerite with dolomite.

The Las Manforas Mine, situated in the Picos de Europa mountains of Cantabria, Spain, has a rich industrial history with operations spanning from the late nineteenth century through major modern revivals in the 1940s and 1950s, eventually closing permanently in 1989. Geologically, the deposit is hosted within massive Carboniferous limestone formations where hydrothermal fluids deposited metal-rich minerals along structural fractures and karstic cavities. Mineralogically, the mine achieved legendary status worldwide for producing the finest gem-quality sphalerite crystals ever discovered, renowned for their incredible transparency, high refractive index, and striking honey-yellow, orange, and reddish-brown colors.

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