Sphalerite (gemmy crystals) on Quartz

Item Description

Sulfide mineral species for the most part are metallic and opaque, but Sphalerite is one of the few sulfides that is found in transparent crystals. For many years, we've seen some excellent examples coming from the Madan Ore Field in Bulgaria. Some of these specimen will carry the name "Cleophane" which is an archaic term for gem quality yellow, green or colorless Sphalerite and was once a valid species, but is now defined as a variety of Sphalerite. This piece features many fine quality, sharp, lustrous, modified groups of sharp, well-formed complex crystals of Sphalerite on Quartz matrix. The Sphalerites show a beautiful green to yellow-green hue when backlit, with great internal gemminess. It's incredibly difficult to photograph this material, and this one looks better in person, especially with the backlighting. This color is highly desirable for Sphalerite, and is not commonly seen for the species around the world, especially in fine crystallized examples.