NATIVE SILVER

SPECIMEN DESCRIPTION

Uchucchacua silver mine in the high Andes mountains in Oyon Province, Lima Department, Peru is one of the most important mineralogical sites in South America and one of the few sources of excellent Native Silver specimens on the continent. In operation almost continually from 1975, it is perhaps best known for some of the world's best Rhodochrosite and Alabandite specimens, but it is also the Type Locality to ten species - mostly exceptionally rare silver-manganese-lead sulphosalt species. Over the years, few fine, world-class Native Silver specimens have been recovered as wire specimens and crystallized masses. The best specimens appear to have been collected during a narrow window in time during the early 2000s. This Uchucchacua mine Native Silver is spectacularly tall. At 8.2 cm high and mounted on an acrylic display stand it makes a prominent display piece, statuesque in nature. Few Peruvian Native Silver's reach this scale or boast the character of this beauty. The wires of Native Silver are naturally tarnished and partially encrusted with a sugary white crystalline coating which appears to be Quartz, but larger areas of matrix at the base appear to be rounded Calcite. It really is a very beautiful South American Native Silver.