ALLARGENTUM and NATIVE SILVER ps. after DYSCRASITE

SPECIMEN DESCRIPTION

Allargentum is a natural alloy of dominant silver and minor antimony. It is a very rare mineral and usually only occurs as silvery metallic masses devoid of texture. In 2009/2010 a small silver mine at Bouismas in the Bou Azer Mining District in Morocco produced some exceptional crystallized Allargentum specimens, or at least Allargentum pseudomorphs after the crystal form of Dyscrasite. The crystals were etched out from surrounding white Calcite matrix to produce dramatic freestanding dendritic branches. This remarkably well-crystallized small cabinet specimen from Bouismas has had the Calcite entirely removed to reveal the most amazing sculptural display of branching dentritic Dyscrasite crystals replaced by pinkish-silver Allargentum. Under magnification the dendrites are seen to be formed from perfectly formed sharp pointed crystals (1 to 2 mm in size). There is likely to be some replacement of Dyscrasite with Native Silver too, as is often the case, but the majority of this specimen is Allargentum. With support, this specimen stands upright in an imposing form. An extremely fine Allargentum/Dyscrasite specimen on a world scale. Ex Nick Hawes collection.