Siderite (gemmy!) with Pyrite (replacing Siderite) and Stannite

Item Description

The Siete Suyos Mine (Seven Servants Mine) is considered by some to be part of the Animas Mine, and it's often difficult to know specifically where specimens are from because several mines in the area share the same vein system. Luckily, I directly obtained this specimen from the miner who collected it, so I know for certain where it came from. In all my years of looking at Bolivian material, I honestly have never seen any specimens from this locality before, but I was happy to purchase the pieces I obtained. This piece features many excellent quality, sharp, gemmy, greenish-brown modified rhombic/hexagonal crystals of Siderite measuring up to 8 mm which are sitting atop golden metallic Pyrite (which have actually formed pseudomorphs after compressed rhombohedra of what is believed to be a previous generation of Siderite) which are associated with minor grey crystals of the rare sulfide, Stannite. For Siderite, the quality is impressive for Bolivia, as I rarely have seen such sharp and gemmy crystals from any mine in this country. This find was very limited, and no more have come out for years, so if you're a collector of Bolivian minerals or carbonates in general, be sure to pick this one up.