Vivianite

specimen number:
8311225

location:
Llallagua, Potosi, Bolivia

description:
A loose grouping of green terminated vivianite crystals. Attractive when backlit as shown at the end of the video.

Llallagua, located in Potosi Department, Bolivia, is part of one of the most important tin mining regions in the world, with a history of intensive mining dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The deposits are associated with hydrothermal veins and breccia zones related to granitic intrusions, where cassiterite is the primary ore mineral along with a variety of sulfides. Mining at Llallagua, particularly at the Siglo XX and Catavi mines, played a major role in global tin production. In addition to its economic importance, the district is known among collectors for a range of mineral specimens, including vivianite. Vivianite from Llallagua typically occurs as deep blue to green prismatic crystals that may darken upon exposure to light, often forming in association with other secondary minerals in oxidized or altered zones.

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