Wulfenite

specimen number:
8311354

location:
La Morita Mine, Chihuahua, Mexico

description:
Butterscotch yellow platy crystals of wulfenite measuring to 1.0 cm in size coming aesthetically off matrix. This is in great condition.

The La Morita Mine, located in the Ascension Municipality of Chihuahua, Mexico, is a world-renowned locality situated near the border with New Mexico. Geologically, it is an oxidized lead-zinc deposit where hydrothermal fluids reacted with Cretaceous limestone and shale, creating a complex secondary mineral environment. The mine is most famous for its unique wulfenite crystals, which are typically found as thin, tabular plates characterized by a distinctive honey-yellow to pale orange color. Historically, the mine saw intermittent small-scale production during the mid-20th century, with significant specimen mining activity occurring primarily in the 1980s and 1990s as the quality of its wulfenite gained international recognition. While it was never a major industrial producer compared to other Chihuahua giants like Santa Eulalia or Naica, La Morita remains a staple name in mineralogy for the aesthetic quality and distinct thin-plate morphology of its lead-molybdate specimens.

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