Sphalerite on Dolomite

Item Description

Sphalerite is one of the few sulfides that is found in transparent crystals, and although it is found in many localities around the world in good gem quality examples, arguably the finest and most famous transparent Sphalerites are those from what used to be called "Picos de Europa" / "Santander". This locality is now more accurately labeled as the Aliva Mine (Las Manforas Mine) in Cantabria, Spain. The specimen hosts a 1.6 cm group of very gemmy, rather lustrous Sphalerite crystals with a rich honey-gold hue sitting on contrasting Dolomite matrix. The Sphalerites looks beautiful when backlit. A wonderful piece of this beloved material. From what I have been told, there is very little of this out on the market, especially in good crystallized examples.
From the collection of David E Ziga, a geologist who graduated Miami (of Ohio) University in 2017, with a mineralogy background.