Pyrrhotite, Galena, Sphalerite, Calcite: Dalnegorsk, Russia

Description

Species: Pyrrhotite, Galena, Sphalerite, Calcite, Quartz

Locality: Nikoleavskiy mine, Dalnegorsk, Primorskiy Krai, Russia

Dimensions: 13.5 x 12.5 x 3.5 cm.

Last spring, a small but excellent pocket of beautifully-crystallized pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, galena, and sphalerite with calcite crystals with encountered in this famous Nikoleavskiy mine in far eastern Russia’s Dalnegorsk District. I was lucky to obtain a great lot of specimens from this small find, and this is probably my favorite piece from the pocket. It’s a large cabinet-size plate measuring ~13.5 cm across with sharp, lustrous pyrrhotite crystals associated with jet-black sphalerite, brassy chalcopyrite, and white rhombohedral dolomite crystals. This very showy piece is in excellent condition and it has all the classic elements of a fine Dalnegorsk mineral specimen in my opinion. Annette Slade photo.