Gold in Pyroxmanganite, Quartz, etc slab (RARE 1975 find) ex Peterson Coll.

Item Description

Bright GOLD specks are clustered on this RARE and significant ore slab from the Argentine Vein of the famous Idarado Mine of Colorado's San Juan Mountains. The sculptural unpolished ore slab is IMPORTANT in itself. The interesting layered slab is comprised mostly of swirled pastel-pink Pyroxmanganite, a Mn-silicate. There are NO photos of Pyroxmanganite in the MINDAT locality Photo Gallery. Quartz and parallel veins of Sphalerite comprise the rest of the very showy slab. The Pyroxmanganite was originally thought to be Rhodonite, until disproved. There is also visible gold on the unsawed back side as a bonus. The mine closed in 1978. Self-collected by Jack Crawford in 1975 and then in the Lee Petersen Collection of Creede (lee was a well known Colorado specialist until his death not long ago). Even the Stope is known. The 1042 Stope was a prolific specimen gold producer in the 1970s. See the fine 2011 Idarado Mine article in the Lithographie No. 15 issue, The San Juan Triangle of Colorado. A VERY RARE combination gold ore specimen from the locale. Value??? A well-documented gold specimen of Colorado mining history. A MUST for the San Juans, Colorado or Gold collector!