Vanadinite with Gypsum, Barite

specimen number:
2072175

location:
Mibladen, Ait Oufella Caidat, Midelt Cercle, Draa-Tafilalet, Morocco

description:
Lustrous red tabular crystals of vanadinite measuring to 1.3 cm in size on a bladed barite crystal matrix with colorless crystals of gypsum. Some damage present, still nice. At one time this was part of the collection of Jordi Povill.

The Mibladen mining district is located in the Midelt Province of Morocco, situated between the Middle and High Atlas Mountains. Geologically, the deposit is hosted within Jurassic-aged carbonate rocks, specifically dolomitic limestones that underwent significant fracturing and karstification. The mineralization is classified as a Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) deposit, formed when low-temperature, metal-rich hydrothermal fluids migrated through the sedimentary sequence. While the area was historically mined for lead beginning in the early 20th century, it gained international fame in the 1970s and 1980s as the world's premier source for vanadinite. This secondary lead chlorovanadate mineral formed in the oxidation zones of the galena-rich ore bodies. Mibladen vanadinite is world-renowned for its brilliant hexagonal prisms, which range in color from bright orange-red to a deep, saturated "ruby" red. These crystals often possess a high adamantine luster and are frequently found on a contrasting matrix of white to tan bladed barite. Although large-scale industrial lead mining has ceased, the district remains a hive of artisanal activity, with local miners continuing to uncover spectacular pockets of these iconic red crystals that set the global standard for the species.

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