Zinkenite with Sphalerite and Pyrite

Zinkenite is a lead-antimony sulphosalt and this rich specimen, together with Sphalerite and Pyrite, is from the San José mine near to Oruro City in Bolivia.  Mindat states this tin-sliver mine closed in 1992 (subsequently reopening), but there is no record of when the mine began.  However, based on the provenance of this specimen, this mine has been operating for an exceptionally long time.  A miniature gnarled hackly specimen of acicular, sooty black Zinkenite crystals mixed with tiny black Sphalerite crystals and micro-Pyrite crystals form a complex ore, the Zinkenite being best studied using low magnification, i.e., a loupe, which will reveal a rich coverage of drusy micro-tufts and sprays of longer acicular crystals to a few mm.  This specimen comes directly from the Josef Clemente (1899-1987) Collection of southern Germany together with two previous old labels, A. Berger of Wien-Mödling and Bergdir., Tausch.