Detailed information
Dimensions
41 x 61 x 24
mm
Weight
136 g
Locality
Hiendelaencina Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha Spain
Condition
No recorded repairs
Although large miniature in size, this specimen is a major player in the world of silver sulphosalts, presenting an exceptionally high quality crystal of the rare species Freieslebenite from Hiendelaencina, near Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. The main crystal reaches 9 x 8 mm and, with its dark gunmetal-grey colour, bright metallic lustre with slightly iridescent patina, and parallel striated growth lines, is a prominent feature on top of this piece. It sits fairly upright alongside an intergrown cluster of smaller Freieslebenite crystals. The main crystal does have a small internal fracture across one end, but is intact and solid, and presents wonderfully well alongside a mesh of white bladed Baryte crystals with a few tiny Quartz crystals and Siderite. A thin wedge of dark grey-black host rock runs through the centre of the specimen with another crystallized vein exposed on the opposite side. This other vein contains a similar assemblage of minerals, but with beautiful small fish-scale arrays of light fawn-tan Siderite crystals and tiny, very glossy, dark grey tetrahedral Tetrahedrite crystals growing into cavities inbetween the white blades of Baryte and upon a thicker bed of Siderite. This is a top-tier specimen of the extremely rare sulphosalt Freieslebenite from this famous Spanish locality. It is from the superb systematic collection assembled by the brothers Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021).