Pyrargyrite

A magnificent specimen of the silver-antimony sulphosalt Pyrargyrite from the Catharina Neufang mine in the St. Andreasberg mining district of Lower Saxony, Germany.  Set against an off-white creamy matrix of Calcite and other metallic sulphosalts, the Pyrargyrite forms four clusters, two of which measure around 1 .0 to 1.2 cm in diameter.  These are linked by a smaller group to form a chain of stacked crystals across the specimen; one smaller 0.8 x 0.8 cm group sits separate on the micro-crystallised Calcite.  Individual Pyrargyrite crystals attain 5 mm across and all are black with a bright lustre.  On many crystal faces and face edges the true burgundy-red colour of the Pyrargyrite is visible.  Areas on some crystals are naturally broken due to contact damage while in-situ.  A stunning and very fine example of Pyrargyrite from the Catharina Neufang mine in the Harz Mountains.