Detailed information
Species
Wittichenite, Baryte, Chalcopyrite
Dimensions
11 x 26 x 17
mm
Weight
4 g
Locality
Daniel Mine, Gallenbach valley Wittichen, Freiburg Region, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Condition
No recorded repairs
Although not from the precise Type Locality, this fascinating thumbnail specimen of Wittichenite is from one of the neighbouring mines in Wittichen - Daniel mine. This information is borne out by its wonderful accompanying old, 19th century, handwritten label which also uses the old name Klaprothit, of Peterson. Comprising white bladed Baryte and a little orange host rock, the Baryte contains dark steely-grey metallic needles, wider dark grey metallic crystal sections and small golden flecks of Chalcopyrite. Based on the needle-like form, some of the crystals might be another copper bismuth sulphide - Emplectite - which is often intergrown with Wittichenite. It comes from the superb systematic collection assembled by the brothers Martin and Michael Günther (1951-2007 & 1956-2021).
