Acanthite with Quartz

Item Description

Highly representative for the storied Imiter Mine in the Anti-Atlas Mountains of Morocco, this Acanthite has many of the characteristics that made the major 2005 find so notable. Following a central spine, the pseudo-octahedral Acanthites splay out orthogonally in three directions, a visually interesting and classic structure for this small-cabinet cluster. Crystals range up to about 1.2 cm on edge, with the Acanthites having a matte-to-medium luster and finely etched surfaces. Seasoned European collectors have likened these pieces to classic Freiberg Acanthites, which is good company indeed, and some people over the years have labelled these specimens (and Acanthite in general) as being pseudomorphs after argentite. But technically these are paramorphs rather than pseudomorphs, as Acanthite will actually transform into argentite in an environment where the temperature reaches above 177 degrees Celsius. Fairly common 18 years ago, these specimens are scarce today, with no new supplies forthcoming.