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CC29703

BAUMHAUERITE with REALGAR and SPHALERITE

BAUMHAUERITE with REALGAR and SPHALERITE


Size:
55 x 40 x 50 mm
Weight:
90 g
Regular price $1,750.00 USD
Regular price Sale price $1,750.00 USD
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Detailed information

Species Baumhauerite, Realgar, Sphalerite
Dimensions 55 x 40 x 50 mm
Weight 90 g
Locality Lengenbach Quarry Fäld, Binn Valley Wallis, Switzerland
Condition No recorded repairs
Lengenbach quarry in the Binn Valley, Wallis, Switzerland is one of the most remarkable mineral localities in Europe, if not the world. Bizarrely, it does not present the rich diversity of colours in large displayable specimens that places like Tsumeb, Broken Hill (Australia) and Franklin do, but in its own quietly unassuming way it has knocked out a remarkable 51 Type Species, all mostly in a backdrop of bright white 'marble'. Baumhauerite is one of the ultra-rare lead arsenic sulphide species first found there and described in 1902, and not found anywhere else in comparable crystals even if those crystals are small. This miniature specimen from the outstanding systematic species collection assembled by brothers Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021) features an extremely fresh-looking, bright metallic, dark grey, 8 mm long, striated prismatic Baumhauerite crystal embedded in the classic chalky white Dolomite matrix alongside golden Pyrite microcrystals and red Realgar. The Baumhaurite crystal is not fully terminated, but it presents extremely well due to its bright lustre and good size. On the other side of the specimen there is a more open cavity within the Dolomite featuring a well-formed red Realgar crystal, 5 mm in length, and a small (2 mm) honey coloured resinous Sphalerite crystal, along with a broken 1 cm long mass of Baumhauerite. The Realgar and Sphalerite really add to the brightness and allure of this piece, when the majority of Lengenbach specimens are grey and white. A fine example of this super rarity that is simply never seen in crystals anywhere else on Earth.

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I bought a specimen but it is not what I expected or was damaged in transit. Can I return the specimen?

Inevitably, sometimes things don't go as expected. Whether the specimen is damaged in transit or the identity is incorrect, we are aware that this can result in the return of a specimen.If your specimen is damaged during shipping, it is vitally important to take a photo of the packaging and specimen in situ. By recording this, we get an idea of the nature and possible reason behind the damage and will be able to process the return much faster.If you discover that the mineral species has been misidentified, we require details of the method of identification in order to understand why you believe this to be the case. If the identity is in question but no formal analysis has been attempted, Crystal Classics will assess the situation on a case-by-case basis. In some instances, this may mean the specimen is sent for analysis to determine the identity.In any scenario where a specimen is analysed and the species in question is not present on the specimen, we will provide a full refund.If you feel that the specimen was misrepresented in any way, please ensure you make contact with us within the 30 day grace period for resolution.In all instances, please ensure that you call or e-mail us immediately, prior to the return of a specimen to Crystal Classics, so that we can advise regarding the returns procedure. Failure to contact us prior to the return of a specimen may lead to the rejection of your return.Shipping costs of all returns are to be covered by the customer, unless the specimen was damaged in transit or if the identity is incorrect.