Wulfenite with Calcite

specimen number:
2072202

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

description:
An aesthetic plate of thick tabular wulfenite crystals caramel colored and lustrous, these accented nicely with crystallized calcite. Damage is present as seen.

The Defiance Mine, located in the Turquoise District of the Courtland-Gleeson area in Cochise County, Arizona, is a historic producer of lead, silver, and zinc. Geologically, the deposit consists of hydrothermal replacement bodies and veins hosted within Paleozoic limestones, specifically the Carboniferous Escabrosa Limestone, near its contact with quartz monzonite porphyry intrusions. The mine is mineralogically significant for producing beautiful specimens of wulfenite, which occur as lustrous, tabular, orange to butter-yellow crystals, often found in association with secondary minerals like cerussite and smithsonite. Historically, the Defiance was most active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with significant production periods recorded between 1880 and 1920. While the broader district saw a brief resurgence in activity during the World Wars to meet base metal demands, the Defiance Mine has long since transitioned from a commercial producer to a classic locality for collectors seeking high-quality Arizona wulfenite specimens.

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