Galena with Sphalerite, Chalcopyrite, Quartz and Siderite

For just $400 this complex cabinet specimen of Galena with Sphalerite, Chalcopyrite, Quartz and Siderite will engage your attention for a disproportionate time, with its numerous crystal habits, textures, colours and lustres! Essentially it’s a Galena from the richly mineralised Dalnegorsk mining district in the Far-Eastern Region of Russia; but what a incredible Galena! The underlying matrix is that of massive bright silver Galena over which Galena has crystalised in various habits, the crowning glory of which is a parallel set of 2.5 cm tall by 3.5 cm wide pseudohexagonal crystals. I think I can spot several spinel twins and many crystals have the ‘melted Galena’ appearance surrounded by skeletal and hopper habits. The Sphalerite forms as black crystals to 2 cm with a feint greenish cast. The odd brassy Chalcopyrite crystal can be spotted amongst 3 to 4 mm tall opaque milky Quartz crystals, while a preferential coating of light biscuit tan Siderite covers much of the back.