Calcite with Boulangerite

The Herja mine, close to Baia Mare in Maramureș County, Romania, produced lead, zinc, antimony and silver and is famous for its antimony minerals. Boulangerite, the lead antimony sulphide forms impressive specimens in this mine but can also be found included in Calcite to such a density as to colour the Calcite entirely black. This is such a specimen and because of its size, quality, crystal habit and colour, it is of museum grade. Measuring almost 17 cm square, the Calcite forms petal-like nested saddle-shaped crystals typically to 3 or 3.5 cm wide and high, in nested, interlocked stacks. The crystal morphology is nicely displayed and towards many edges the lustrous black faces of the saddles are revealed. The Calcite crystals, coal black because of the persistently uniform inclusion of Boulangerite, are sparsely dusted with micro colourless scalenohedral Calcite crystals with a glassy lustre. A magnificent Calcite included with Boulangerite from Herja mine in Romania.