Stibnite with Barite, Quartz

specimen number:
1052452

location:
Baia Sprie, Maramures Co., Romania

description:
A crystallized plate of quartz, this hosting metallic needlelike lustrous crystals of stibnite and gemmy colorless tabular crystals of barite to 3.2 cm in size. A neat antique specimen that comes with two very cool old labels as shown at the end of the video. The specimen dates to the very early 20th century.

Felsobanya, now known as Baia Sprie in Maramures County, Romania, is part of a historic mining district in the Carpathian Mountains with activity dating back to at least the medieval period. The area is characterized by hydrothermal vein deposits hosted in volcanic rocks, where mineralizing fluids introduced a wide range of sulfide and gangue minerals. Mining was carried out for centuries for metals such as gold, silver, lead, and antimony, with extensive underground workings developed to follow the veins. The locality is especially known among collectors for fine specimens of stibnite, which occurs as elongated metallic gray crystals and radiating groups, often associated with white to colorless barite. Barite commonly forms as tabular crystals and aggregates within the same vein systems, providing contrasting matrix for the stibnite. Specimens from Felsobanya are considered classic European material and are valued for both their aesthetic quality and historical significance.

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