Wulfenite

specimen number:
2072295

location:
Defiance Mine, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA

description:
Thin platy crystals of wulfenite averaging 1.0 cm in size across the top of matrix. Typical of these some damage present, this still quite nice.

The Defiance Mine, located in the Turquoise District of the Dragoon Mountains in Cochise County, Arizona, is situated within a geologically complex zone of faulted Paleozoic limestones and shales. These sedimentary rocks were subjected to intense hydrothermal alteration and mineralization following the intrusion of nearby monzonite porphyry stocks, resulting in rich oxidized lead-zinc deposits. The mine is celebrated by mineralogists for its exceptional specimens of wulfenite, which typically occurs as thin, tabular, square crystals with a distinctive butterscotch to bright orange-yellow color. Historically, mining and quarrying in the district began in the late 1800s, with the Defiance claim specifically becoming a significant producer of silver and lead by the 1880s. While large-scale industrial operations were most active during the late 19th century and intermittently through the mid-20th century, the site gained renewed fame in the late 1960s and 1970s for its prolific output of high-quality mineral specimens. As of 2026, the mine is no longer an active commercial metal producer, but it remains a classic Arizona locality highly regarded for the aesthetic perfection and historical importance of its lead molybdate crystals.

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