Piromorfita
Piromorfita is a mineral with formula Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl, in the Fosfatos group. This specimen comes from Daoping Mine, Gongcheng Co., Guilin, Guangxi, China and joined the Terrium collection in 2001.
Description
Saturated apple-green colour, with short prismatic habit and well-developed flat terminations. The radial relief is intact, with no eroded areas, forming a miniature of excellent quality. Superior in colour, form and three-dimensional development, highly representative of the classic material from the first find at this mine in the late 1990s.
History of this specimen
Good Chinese pyromorphites have long been completely exhausted, and the specimens that appear now come from old stocks. I regard this piece as an exceptional, perfectly preserved example of the most sought-after style of the early 2000s, exactly when the previous owner began assembling his collection.
About Piromorfita
Lead chlorapatite. Pyromorphite of the "classic Daoping" style, with prismatic habit and saturated apple-green colour. Pieces of this type were the first to compete with the French from Les Farges, the Spanish from San Andrés and the United States material from Bunker Hill for their lustre and crystal perfection.
About the locality
Located in a lead–zinc district of southern China, the Daoping Mine is renowned for having produced, around 2000, pyromorphites of exceptional quality and very pure colours. Specimens were exhausted quickly and today come only from old stocks.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0268
- Composition
- Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl
- Name
- Piromorfita
- Group
- Fosfatos
- Category
- Cupidium
- Matrix
- Limonita goethita (ferruginosa compacta)
- Mine
- Daoping Mine
- District / Municipality
- Gongcheng Co.
- Province
- Guilin
- Region
- Guangxi
- Country
- China
- Size (cm)
- 3 x 3 x 1
- Weight
- 17.7 g
- Acquired
- 2001
- Ex-collection
- Sergio Petetrich
- Etymology
- From the Greek "pyr" (fire) and "morphé" (form), referring to the change of appearance on heating.
- Quality
- Notable
- Value trend
- Al alza