TERRIUM — A mineralogy cabinet


Oro Nativo

Oro is a mineral with formula Au, in the Elementos nativos group. This specimen comes from Mina Roata, Cavnic, Maramureș, Transilvania, Rumanía and joined the Terrium collection in 2015.

Oro Nativo from Mina Roata, Cavnic, Maramureș, Transilvania, Rumanía — Terrium

Description

Micromount of native gold forming a claw-like growth on marmatite matrix. Best seen under a loupe.

About Oro

At this mine gold occurs as very small but well-defined crystals. These specimens are valued less for size than for the sharpness of the gold and the strong contrast with the host sulphides.

About the locality

Roata Mine, in the Cavnic mining district, has been one of the most recognised sources of crystallised gold in Eastern Europe. Since 2008 all mines have been closed; the entrances sealed, the water pumps switched off, and the surface structures either demolished or about to be demolished.

Technical data

Catalogue No.
0013
Composition
Au
Name
Oro
Variety
Nativo
Group
Elementos nativos
Category
Cupidium
Matrix
Esfalerita
Mine
Mina Roata
District / Municipality
Cavnic
Province
Maramureș
Region
Transilvania
Country
Rumanía
Size (cm)
0.4 x 0.2 x 0.2
Weight
0.07 g
Acquired
2015
Ex-collection
Francisco Becerra
Etymology
From Latin "aurum", source of the chemical symbol Au, with the sense of intense brightness or dawn. The Spanish "oro" derives from the same Latin root via the Romance languages.
Quality
Buena
Value trend
Al alza

Related specimens

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