This Specimen has been sold.
1.6" Ilvaite & Arsenopyrite on Hedenbergite Included Quartz - Mongolia
This specimen contains green quartz crystals that are intermixed with black ilvaite and arsenopyrite, collected from the Huanggang Mines of Inner Mongolia. The green color of the quartz can be attributed to hedenbergite inclusions within the quartz.
It has been mounted to an acrylic display base with mineral tack.
It has been mounted to an acrylic display base with mineral tack.
Arsenopyrite is an iron arsenic sulfide with the chemical formula FeAsS. It is the most common arsenic-bearing mineral and is its principal ore, and can be found in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock. Crystals can be found as prismatic, twinned, columnar, elongated and massive formations within veins and are found in locations all around the world. Depending on minerals present during formation, the iron in arsenopyrite can be replaced by cobalt, forming cobaltite.
Arsenopyrite contains a significant amount of poisonous arsenic, making it somewhat toxic. Washing hands following handling is recommended.
Arsenopyrite contains a significant amount of poisonous arsenic, making it somewhat toxic. Washing hands following handling is recommended.
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.
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.
SPECIES
Quartz var. Prase, Hedenbergite, Arsenopyrite & Ilvaite
LOCATION
Huanggang Mines, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia
SIZE
1.6" long
CATEGORY
ITEM
#231693