Wulfenite

specimen number:
8311444

location:
79 Mine, Gila Co., Arizona, USA

description:

Attractive orange thin platy crystals of wulfenite with little attached matrix. Typical of these some damage present, this one still nice.

The 79 Mine, located in the Banner District of Gila County, Arizona, is a renowned lead-zinc-copper deposit situated on the southern slope of the Dripping Spring Mountains. Geologically, it is a replacement deposit where hydrothermal fluids mineralized Paleozoic limestones, specifically the Pennsylvanian-aged Naco Group, along complex fault zones and dike intrusions. The mine is world-famous for its wulfenite specimens, which occur in the oxidized zones as thin, tabular, orange to yellow crystals, frequently found in association with vibrant yellow mimetite. Historically, mining and quarrying at the site began in 1879, giving the mine its name, though significant industrial production did not commence until around 1919. The mine operated intermittently through the mid-20th century, with peak production during World War II, before large-scale commercial operations ceased in the early 1950s. As of 2026, the 79 Mine remains a legendary locality for collectors, frequently accessed for specimen recovery, and is celebrated for the high luster of its lead molybdate crystals found alongside other secondary oxidation minerals.

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