Plata Filiforme
Plata is a mineral with formula Ag, in the Elementos nativos group. This specimen comes from Mina Imiter, Círculo de Tinghir, Tinghir, Drâa-Tafilalet, Marruecos and joined the Terrium collection in 2025.
Description
Thick vertical bundle of compact silver filaments with a slight spiral twist.
History of this specimen
First large silver piece added to the collection. It marks a qualitative step up in weight, volume and visual impact. Dense architecture and a forceful presence; a piece I fell in love with as soon as I saw it.
About Plata
Filiform native silver forms in low-temperature hydrothermal veins, where silver-rich solutions precipitate the metal in elemental form. The density and thickness of the filaments indicate slow, continuous precipitation, associated with a high degree of metallic purity.
About the locality
Imiter is one of the largest silver deposits in the world, worked since Antiquity. It is especially known for filiform and arborescent silver specimens, noted for their lustre, purity and metallic density.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0048
- Composition
- Ag
- Name
- Plata
- Variety
- Filiforme
- Group
- Elementos nativos
- Category
- Cupidium
- Mine
- Mina Imiter
- District / Municipality
- Círculo de Tinghir
- Province
- Tinghir
- Region
- Drâa-Tafilalet
- Country
- Marruecos
- Size (cm)
- 3.3 x 1.4 x 1.3
- Weight
- 9 g
- Acquired
- 2025
- Etymology
- From Latin "platta", a term of disputed etymology, possibly related to the Hispano-Arabic "biláṭa", in reference to metal plates or surfaces.
- Quality
- Top
- Value trend
- Al alza
Related specimens
- Acantita (Paramórfica tras Argentita) — Marruecos
- Andradita (Melanita) — Marruecos
- Apatito — Marruecos
- Aragonito — Marruecos
- Arfvedsonita — Marruecos
- Arsénico (Nativo) — Alemania
- Azurita — Marruecos
- Azurita — Marruecos