Galena with Linarite and Anglesite on Fluorite (fluorescent)

Item Description

The Blanchard Mine is well-known for several outstanding to world-class species. While 1980 saw a discovery of the world's best Linarite crystals, wonderful specimens of Fluorite (usually highly fluorescent) and Galena, along with associated minerals, have also been found there. Galena is the focus of this cabinet specimen, with the largest cube reaching 3.7 cm on edge. All the faces have the classic coating of sparkly, drusy, secondary Anglesite (and possibly Cerussite), and there is the commonly-found splitting (exfoliation) along the edges. Both of these are signature characteristics of Blanchard Galenas. What has become a favorite target of collectors for decades now are those Galenas graced with coatings of crystalline Linarite, a rare lead-copper sulfate. Linarite has one of the prettiest, brightest blues in the mineral kingdom, and these crystals, acicular to slightly more prismatic in habit, simply jump right out at you with such a vivid and lustrous blue. From experience, I would say that this quality old-timer (based on the style as well as an older number label attached to it) is likely out of the Sunshine #1 tunnel. Collecting from the highly-silicified limestone host rock is no easy task, so good specimens such as this are cherished. An interesting sidenote is just 8 1/2 miles to the south west, over a few mountains and down into the White Sands Missile range which is part of the Rio Grande Rift, is the Trinity Site. From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl, a well-known German collector all over Europe with worldwide contacts to dealers and collectors. He started collecting seriously at the age of 14 and his great and varied worldwide collection reached over 6000 pieces.