This Specimen has been sold.
4" Quartz Crystals with Galena, Orpiment, and Sphalerite - Peru
This is a beautiful cluster of quartz crystals associated with dodecahedral galena and vibrant orange orpiment on sphalerite. It comes out of Peru and the entire piece measures 4.0" wide.
Orpiment is a bright orange to yellow arsenic sulfide mineral. Its name is derived from the latin phrase auripigmentum, meaning “gold pigment”. It is frequently found as a decay byproduct and in association with another arsenic mineral, realgar. Orpiment crystals are commonly found in dense groupings containing small, prismatic crystals, often with chisel-shaped or triangular pyramidal terminations.
Orpiment contains a significant amount of the poisonous mineral arsenic. While it’s not going to pose a health hazard sitting on a shelf, it’s recommended that you wash your hands after handling it.
Orpiment contains a significant amount of the poisonous mineral arsenic. While it’s not going to pose a health hazard sitting on a shelf, it’s recommended that you wash your hands after handling it.
Galena is a lead-based mineral and the primary ore of lead, and has been used for its lead content for thousands of years. Galena typically displays a gray metallic luster and forms cubes or octahedral crystals. The chemical composition of galena is PbS.
While galena will not pose a health hazard by sitting on the shelf or even from casual handling, we suggest washing hands following handling due to the mineral's lead content.
While galena will not pose a health hazard by sitting on the shelf or even from casual handling, we suggest washing hands following handling due to the mineral's lead content.
SPECIES
Quartz, Sphalerite, Galena & Orpiment
LOCATION
Palomo Mine, Castrovirreyna Province, Huancavelica, Peru
SIZE
4.0 x 2.6"
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#256162