Large Native Bismuth (rare) Durkos & Hauck Coll.

Item Description

Native bismuth specimens of this impressive SIZE, richness and quality are very rare from the famous mines at Cobalt. An up to 1.1 cm thick solid vein of striking, intergrown, brilliant metallic to bronzy cleavable masses with individual cleavages covers the sawed greenstone matrix. It came through the noted John Durkos Collection to the Robert Hauck Silver Collection. The label says it was acquired in 1966. The fine Cobalt District article in the November-December, 2012 issue, Vol. 43, # 6, of Mineralogical Record states that "native bismuth does not occur as crystals in Cobalt-area ores but does commonly occur as rich, coarsely crystallized, late-stage vein fillings". The Hi-Ho Mine was one of the larger silver and bismuth producing mines on the district. Outstanding, rich and heavy ore for the size at 1245 grams or 2.7 pounds mass. Value???