1.4" Quartz Crystal With Loellingite - Inner Mongolia

About The Huanggang Mine

The "Huanggang Mine" is a complex of seven somewhat interconnected mines located near Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, China. Incredible mineral specimens started coming out of this mining complex around 2009. However, the location provided for the specimens was a long ways away from the actual site. This is a practice commonly performed by dealers and miners following a new discovery to try and preserve the mineral site's true location, and/or for political purposes.

As the site's popularity increased, more and more fascinating specimens were popping up on the market. Some of the earlier minerals included world-class ilvaite crystals, pink fluorite octahedrons, hedenbergite-included quartz (many of which were discarded at first), and arsenopyrite. Over the following years, garnets, pink manganoan calcite, gorgeous fluorites, sphalerite, löllingite, borcarite, scheelite, and a variety of other minerals began to surface on the market. To this day, new mineral discoveries are often made in these mines.

A brief description of the mine and minerals from the Huanggang Deposit.

About Loellingite

Loellingite (or löllingite) is an iron arsenide mineral with the chemical formula FeAs₂. The crystals are often twinned and exhibit a silvery metallic luster. It is named after the Lölling mining district in Carinthia, Austria, the site from which it was first described in 1845. It typically forms in association with arsenopyrite, and it can be difficult to tell the two apart.

Toxicity Warning: Loellingite contains arsenic and can be harmful if inhaled or swallowed. Most of the risk is posed by long-term, chronic exposure to its dust or fumes. While a crystal sitting on your shelf doesn't pose a health risk, you should wash your hands after handling and keep it out of reach of children.