Vivianite

specimen number:
1655514

location:
Kerchenskoe, Kerch Peninsula, Crimea, Ukraine

description:
Dark bluish green crystals of vivianite measuring to 1.0 cm in size scattered across the top of matrix. In good condition.

The Kerchenskoe deposit on the Kerch Peninsula of the Crimea region, Ukraine, is a world-famous locality for vivianite crystals found within sedimentary iron ores. Geologically, these occurrences are hosted in Pliocene-aged oolitic iron formations, where vivianite formed as a secondary mineral through the reaction of iron with phosphorus derived from organic matter, such as ancient whale bones or large oyster shells. The crystals typically develop as elongated, prismatic laths with a deep indigo-blue to dark sea-green color, often appearing transparent when first removed from the moist clay and iron-rich matrix. Historically, the region was a major industrial center for iron ore extraction, with large-scale operations beginning in the late 19th century and peaking between the 1930s and the 1990s. Although the primary focus was the production of ore for the steel industry, the mines in the Kamysh-Burun and Eltigen-Ortel districts became legendary among collectors for the aesthetic and scientifically significant vivianite specimens recovered during the mining process.

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