Hematite (var: Martite) (good sized crystal)

Item Description

Martite used to be considered a valid species, but it the term is now used to describe pseudomorphs of Hematite replacing Magnetite. Both of these minerals are iron oxides, but these pseudomorphs form as a result of the increasing fugacity of oxygen in the environment in which they form. The specimens from the Twin Peak Prospect are among the best known examples of the material ever found. This piece features a predominant, sharp, well-formed, metallic, silvery-black octahedral crystal measuring 3.1 cm across, with several smaller crystals of what were once Magnetite but are how Hematite, free of matrix. There are some little nicks, including on the top of the main crystal, but it's still fairly good quality all around. The piece was collected by Geary Murdock in the 1970s and 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".