Wulfenita Bipiramidal
Wulfenita is a mineral with formula PbMoO₄, in the Molibdatos group. This specimen comes from Mina Maoniuping, Mianning, Liangshan Yi, Sichuan, China.
Description
Coated by numerous bipyramidal wulfenite crystals in yellow-orange, sharply faceted with high lustre. Thin baryte blades protrude through the crystal druse, from translucent white to transparent. Large piece, suitable for study with a loupe.
History of this specimen
It originally belonged to the collection of Dr Joan Viñals i Olivan (1945–2013), professor at UB and the foremost authority on mineral systematics in Spain; I regard his label as a guarantee of scientific rigour. It was later held by Enric Nicolau, a reference figure in Catalan collecting and a rescuer of historic pieces. Definitely, a provenance of prestige in Spanish mineralogy. Against the reference standards on Mindat, I place this specimen on the "Olympic podium" of Maoniuping: for size, habit and lustre, it competes directly with the best documented specimens from this locality.
About Wulfenita
Bipyramidal wulfenite crystals—an uncommon, sought-after habit unmistakably associated with this locality—came from a small vein between 2004 and 2007. This morphology has become a "modern classic" of Chinese mineralogy and has practically disappeared from the market.
About the locality
This mine is the second-largest Chinese—and therefore global—deposit of Rare Earth Elements (REE). China no longer exports minerals as readily as it did 20 years ago. Much of the high-quality material, like this classic, now remains in the domestic Chinese market, where a new class of collectors has very high purchasing power.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0220
- Composition
- PbMoO₄
- Name
- Wulfenita
- Variety
- Bipiramidal
- Group
- Molibdatos
- Category
- Meritum Persé
- Associations
- barita
- Mine
- Mina Maoniuping
- District / Municipality
- Mianning
- Province
- Liangshan Yi
- Region
- Sichuan
- Country
- China
- Size (cm)
- 8.4 x 6.7 x 6.3
- Ex-collection
- J. Viñals > E. Nicolau
- Etymology
- In honour of the mineralogist Franz Xavier von Wulfen, for his contributions to the study of lead and its minerals.
- Quality
- Notable
- Value trend
- Estable
Related specimens
- Oropimente — China
- Piromorfita — China
- Wulfenita (Naranja, Amarilla) — México
- Piromorfita — China
- Piromorfita — China
- Piromorfita — China
- Piromorfita — China
- Lollingita — China