Group of Iodargyrite crystals of very considerable size for the species, with defined habit and arranged in a relatively isolated way on the matrix, which allows their morphology to be clearly appreciated. They show an intense bright yellow color, very characteristic, with good luster. The crystals develop on a ferruginous matrix, in cavities where they have been able to grow with a certain degree of freedom, something uncommon in the species, which usually occurs in more massive or less defined aggregates. This type of specimens, with well-individualized crystals and notable size, are especially appreciated among iodargyrites from the Broken Hill Proprietary Mine, known for offering some of the best specimens of the species.
The Broken Hill Proprietary Mine is part of the famous Broken Hill mining district, one of the world’s most important deposits for lead, zinc, and silver. It is a stratiform metamorphosed deposit of Proterozoic age, characterized by an extraordinary mineralogical richness and a very complex paragenesis.
The deposit is known for its wide diversity of mineral species, including Galena, Sphalerite, Anglesite, Cerussite, Smithsonite, and numerous secondary lead, zinc and silver minerals, many of them of excellent crystal quality. These associations reflect both the primary mineralization and the intense supergene alteration processes that have produced a wide variety of well-crystallized species.
Broken Hill Proprietary Mine, Broken Hill, Yancowinna County, New South Wales Australia
Specimen size: 6.4 × 4.1 × 3.7 cm = 2.52” × 1.61” × 1.46”
|
