Piromorfita
Piromorfita is a mineral with formula Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl, in the Fosfatos group. This specimen comes from Mina San Andrés, Espiel, Córdoba, Andalucía, España and joined the Terrium collection in 1988.
Description
El Centurión. A head in profile. Good-quality pyromorphite with intensely green, highly lustrous hexagonal crystals, growing as a compact aggregate in a well-defined cavity. Balanced architecture and excellent aesthetics for the size.
History of this specimen
I bought this piece directly from Carlos Pareja without knowing it was him. I did know his name, because it is tied to one of the major chapters of San Andrés pyromorphite: the 1997 reopening with the Peña brothers, when they located a new geode and worked it through the celebrated telescopic tunnel. According to the mine’s story, they spent almost six months there at an old-mine pace and in pure obsession: eight days in, one day out, and they kept at it until the cavity was practically exhausted. But when I bought this piece I did not put two and two together. Only the initials "C. P." appeared, and I thought no further. When the parcel arrived and I saw the full name on the address, I stopped short. I wrote to ask whether he was the same Carlos Pareja of the San Andrés pyromorphites, and he said yes. Then I asked whether he had any other piece, and he sent me the photo of a pyromorphite of about 4.4 cm that he offered me for €2,600. The piece was good, but the myth shrank a fair bit there: a good eye for the Americans, but that price won’t wash here. This one is from the batch before his reopened tunnel.
About Piromorfita
A lead chlorophosphate, isomorphous with vanadinite (V) chlorovanadate and mimetite (As) chloroarsenate. All belong to the chlorapatite group, which crystallise as hexagonal prisms. At San Andrés pyromorphite grows at the contact zones between limonite and barite.
About the locality
The San Andrés mine, in Espiel, is noted for pyromorphites of world quality, with bright, prismatic crystals and vivid colours, much prized internationally. The pyromorphites develop in cavities in limonite and barite, right at the contact zone between the two, within a hydrothermal system associated with galena veins.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0116
- Composition
- Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl
- Name
- Piromorfita
- Group
- Fosfatos
- Category
- Cupidium
- Mine
- Mina San Andrés
- District / Municipality
- Espiel
- Province
- Córdoba
- Region
- Andalucía
- Country
- España
- Size (cm)
- 3 x 3.5 x 2.5
- Weight
- 32.2 g
- Acquired
- 1988
- Ex-collection
- Carlos Pareja
- Etymology
- From the Greek "pyr" ("fire") and "morphe" ("form"), alluding to its hexagonal prismatic habit that recalls tongues of fire.
- Quality
- Notable
- Value trend
- Al alza
Related specimens
- Abellaíta — España
- Abernathyita — España
- Abernathyita — España
- Abernathyita — España
- Aerenita — España
- Aerinita (fibrosa) — España
- Analcima — España
- Analcima — España