Sphalerite with Quartz

specimen number:
9892133

location:
Dal'negorsk, Primorskiy Kray, Russia

description:
The top of a massive sphalerite matrix is covered by large sharp twinned lustrous crystals of sphalerite, some of these measuring to 3.5 cm across. Very minor sparkling crystals of quartz are present. In good condition.

Dalnegorsk, located in the Primorsky Krai of the Russian Far East, is a world-famous mining district with a history of industrial metal extraction dating back to the late 19th century under the entrepreneur Julius Brynner. Geologically, the area is dominated by complex skarn deposits formed through the intrusion of Cretaceous and Paleogene magmatic rocks into Triassic and Jurassic carbonate and sedimentary sequences, creating ideal conditions for large-scale hydrothermal mineralization. Mineralogically, the district is celebrated globally for its stunning, large-scale specimen production, most notably pristine crystals of calcite, quartz, sphalerite, galena, and a wide variety of borate and skarn minerals that remain staples of major museum collections worldwide.

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