Penroseite (Ultra Rare Selenide - Type Locality)

Item Description

Penroseite is an ULTRA-RARE nickel, cobalt, copper selenide and this RICH and showy specimen is from the Type Locality - the Virgen de Surumi Mine of Bolivia. The famous selenium minerals from this locality have often been falsely attributed to the Hiaco mine (2km west, on the opposite flank of Pakajake canyon) or to the Colquechaca mine (28km southwest), but neither of those mines yields any selenium minerals at all. Silvery, metallic-bright, parallel-growth blades of penroseite comprise nearly all of this VERY RICH specimen. Comes with a 1950s era, faded Burminco label, that has a pencilled-in, August, 1951 date! $13.50 was VERY EXPENSIVE in 1951!! Ex Mullane Collection. VERY SELDOM and VERY RARE on the market. Hefty for its size, at 60 grams, so you know there is a lot of it here. Valued at $750-1000 today