Wendel-Minerals | Item: 5811 - Acanthite-NIederschlema | Schlema | Erzgebirge | Saxony

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Acanthite & Argentopyrite & Silver

NIederschlema | Schlema | Erzgebirge | Saxony | Germany

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Article ID

5811

Size

8.0 x 4.0 x 3.2 cm

Size Description

Small Cabinet

Status

SOLD

Image desc

Description

This is a rich and very excellent ore specimen with numerous, steel gray Acanthite crystals up to 4 mm in size from Saxony. The crystals with a strong metallic luster sit on a very interesting matrix, which is consists almost entirely of tombac to brass-colored Argentopyrite, some of which is very nicely crystallized. Argentopyrite is a fairly rare Silver sulfide and the sparkling, euhedral crystals of the specime are transitioning to Pyrite although, most of the matrix is still unaltered Argentopyrite. A closer look reveals a small bonus: tiny Silver spherules can be recognized even with the unaided eye. This specimen represents classic material from Niederschlema in the Ore Mountains from the 1970s, the Cold War period, when it was practically impossible (because illegal) to smuggle mineral specimens out of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). There is no detailed mine name associated with the specimen, which would have to be taken with a grain of salt anyway. Mineral collectors back then allocated specimens found on the dumps to specific areas of the mine even without knowledge of the underground workings. The specimen comes with the original label of the late mineral collector and dealer Franz-Georg Ulses from Lahr, north of Freiburg. He accomplished to supply what used to be called West Germany with minerals from East Germany during the period of the Iron Curtain.