Wulfenite (classic material)

Item Description

Wulfenite is a well-known mineral, widespread in secondary ore environments, and truly adored by collectors Wulfenite crystals typically are found in thin tabular (and often brittle) examples, but the famous specimens from Los Lamentos are some of the thickest and most durable Wulfenites in the world. Furthermore, these classic specimens are some of the most recognizable examples of Wulfenite from any locality. This piece features several gorgeous, thick, fine quality, beautiful saturated orange colored crystals measuring up to 1.0 cm, sitting on white sparkling Calcite with a bit of matrix. Most of the crystals are in very good shape, but there are some areas of roughness on the edges, so the piece is not 100% pristine. It's still a showy and eye-catching piece of this well-known material. I love the slick vitreous lusters on the crystals, which gives them character and a beautiful reflective sheen.
This piece comes from the personal collection of Colorado mining legend, Dave Bergman, the maternal grandfather of Brian Kosnar. Dave is now retired from mining, but he worked for decades in various mines underground in Colorado, as a miner, mechanic, engineer, shift boss and foreman. His biggest claim to fame is that he was the foreman and the primary person in charge of mining and specimen recovery at the Sweet Home Mine in Colorado in the 1970s alongside his son-in-law, Rich Kosnar. This project what was the FIRST ever operation for specimen recovery at this historic locality. A full-page photograph of Dave can be seen mining underground at the Sweet Home in on page 58 of Peter Bancroft's book "Gem and Crystal Treasures".