Sphalerite pseudomorphs after Wurtzite on Pyrite (new find)

Item Description

From a new discovery in late 2011, this is the first time I've seen something like this from Bolivia. The San Jose Mine is the type locality for Wurtzite, and some of the best crystallized examples of the species are actually found at this mine to this day. Keep in mind that this mine has been active for over 500 years since the time of Spanish conquistadors, not to mention countless years of Incan mining, so the fact that specimens are still coming out is remarkable. This specimen features dozens if not hundreds of small, unique, attractive, semi-metallic, dark blue colored pseudomorphs of Sphalerite replacing hexagonal "rosettes" of Wurtzite, creating a very pleasing effect. To top it off, the Sphalerite pseudomorphs are associated with rather lustrous (splendent), bright, metallic, golden modified cubic crystals of Pyrite on two side of the specimen. Overall, it's a really cool Bolivian association piece, from one of the most historic localities in the country, and arguably the western world. I've photographed the pseudomorphs under the microscope to better illustrate their quality, and if you're a Bolivian mineral collector, or somebody who admires unique pseudomorphs, do not miss out on this one. From what I'm told there were very few of these available, and I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a small parcel, so get this piece while you can. This is unusual material, and typically when something strange is found in Bolivia, there's either a ton of it, or very little available. Enjoy!