Sphalerite with Quartz

specimen number:
2312373

location:
Krushev dol Mine, Madan, Smolyan, Bulgaria

description:

Choice sharp large lustrous twinned crystal of sphalerite 4.0 cm in size across the top of a quartz crystal covered matrix. This is in great condition. An aesthetic example for the species.

The Krushev Dol mine, situated within the renowned Madan ore field in the Rhodope Mountains of southern Bulgaria, has a rich mining history dating back to ancient Thracian times in the fourth century BC, with extensive modern industrial development taking place through the twentieth century. Geologically, the deposit is part of a complex hydrothermal vein and replacement system hosted within high-grade metamorphic rocks and marbles, shaped by intensive Paleogene magmatic and tectonic activity. Mineralogically, the mine is world-famous for producing exceptional collector specimens, particularly lustrous galena, sphalerite (including notable cleophane varieties), chalcopyrite, and quartz, alongside a diverse array of associated sulfides and rare accessory minerals.

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