Goethite pseudomorph after Pyrite

Item Description

An aesthetic and rarely seen miniature sized display specimen of these attractive pseudomorphs from the same area where the classic Epidote crystals have been found for decades. This piece features a group of well-formed, cubic crystals of what were once Pyrite, but have since been pseudomorphed into dark reddish-brown Goethite. Despite the alteration from one species to another, the crystals still retain excellent sharpness and their subtle striations are well-preserved. The largest crystal measures 2.7 cm. There are only a few tiny imperfections on the front/display side, and the piece is not complete on the back, but it's one of the best examples I've ever had to offer in the auctions, especially due to the fact that there are multiple crystals present. These are rare from anywhere on Prince of Wales Island, and should be valued by collectors as important specimens from this historic locale. This piece was likely mined by Doug Toland, who has collected a large percentage of the good pieces from this area over the years. The terrain is treacherous, and a helicopter is used to reach the collecting area, and only a certain amount of pieces can be brought back due to weight limits, so anything of value that comes out is certainly worth picking up. This piece comes from the personal collection of Colorado mining legend, Dave Bergman, the maternal grandfather of Brian Kosnar. Dave is now retired from mining, but he worked for decades in various mines underground in Colorado, as a miner, mechanic, engineer, shift boss and foreman. His biggest claim to fame is that he was the foreman and the primary person in charge of mining and specimen recovery at the Sweet Home Mine in Colorado in the 1970s alongside his son-in-law, Rich Kosnar. This project what was the FIRST ever operation for specimen recovery at this historic locality. A full-page photograph of Dave can be seen mining underground at the Sweet Home in on page 58 of Peter Bancroft's book "Gem and Crystal Treasures".