Pyromorphite (classic material)

Item Description

The famed Bunker Hill Mine in Idaho has produced some of the most iconic specimens of Pyromorphite from any mine in the Western Hemisphere. The quality and colors of the crystals are renowned for their distinctiveness. This sculptural thumbnail hosts beautiful, spherical aggregates of rich orange colored Pyromorphite measuring up to 8 mm across, with very minor attached matrix. The luster looks "wet" if that makes sense, and the color is about as strong as it gets for this particular style, especially in a thumbnail. It has been said that these orange Pyromorphites are arsenic-bearing, but I've seen a few listings in recent years that mention they have been analyzed, and there appears to be no arsenic content present. Classic material from Idaho, you don't see then around anymore, and the best pieces from Bunker Hill are among the best Pyromorphites in the world. Valued $950.
From the collection of David E Ziga, a geologist who graduated Miami (of Ohio) University in 2017, with a mineralogy background. Specimen #142.