Piromorfita
Piromorfita is a mineral with formula Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl, in the Fosfatos group. This specimen comes from Mina San Andrés / Geoda Realces, Villaviciosa de Córdoba, Córdoba, Andalucía, España.
Description
Small bridge-shaped thumbnail composed of barrel-shaped pyromorphite crystals with an intense green colour and good lustre.
History of this specimen
Between May and October 1997, a group of mineral collectors set out to excavate a tunnel through the debris of a major collapse in order to regain access to an area known to be prolific in collector-quality specimens. A second phase took place during the second half of 1998 and ended on December 28. It was possibly the boldest and most arduous undertaking known in Spanish mineral collecting for the recovery of specimens. This is one of those pieces.
About Piromorfita
Pyromorphite is a lead chlorophosphate that crystallises in the hexagonal system and forms in the oxidised zone of galena deposits. Its colours range from green to brown, depending on impurities and formation conditions. Specimens from San Andrés are among the world's most celebrated for their intense colour, vitreous lustre and well-developed crystals.
About the locality
A world classic. Although the mine was worked mainly for lead and barite, the exceptional quality of its pyromorphite geodes was recognised very early; in fact, the first to notice was the mine director himself, who kept them for himself at a time when national collecting barely existed. Later, the mine saw two golden periods of finds: before 1989, and after the opening of the telescopic tunnel.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0385
- Composition
- Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl
- Name
- Piromorfita
- Group
- Fosfatos
- Category
- Cupidium
- Mine
- Mina San Andrés / Geoda Realces
- District / Municipality
- Villaviciosa de Córdoba
- Province
- Córdoba
- Region
- Andalucía
- Country
- España
- Size (cm)
- 2 x 1.5 x 1.5
- Weight
- 5 g
- Ex-collection
- Carlos Pareja
- Etymology
- From the Greek "pyro" (fire) and "morphé" (form), for changing colour when heated.
- Quality
- Buena
- Value trend
- Estable
Related specimens
- Aragonito (Blanco (Bulboso)) — España
- Barita — España
- Calcita (Dorada) — España
- Jacinto de Compostela — España
- Magnetita — España
- Magnetita — España
- Malaquita (Microbotrioidal) — España
- Piromorfita — China