Moschellandsbergite ex Jelks Coll.

Item Description

Moschellandsbergite is a rare intermetallic compound of silver and mercury and this showy, representative combination example is from the famous Type Locality area. Bright silver-white metallic microcrystals are scattered on both sides of the scultpural, 3-dimensional matrix of very bubbly, botryoidal goethite or limonite. We are told these were found in the early to mid-1800s, but not identified as this new, rare mercury-silver species until 1938. This ancient mercury mining district has documented mining activities starting around 1440 with heydays in the 16th, 18th and 19th centuries. Mining ceased in 1942. From the Rukin Jelks Collection, a noted Arizona collector. while not showing large crystals, this is an excellent, rare, reference speicmen for this species