Exceptional and highly detailed mineral specimen from the famous Madan mining district in Bulgaria.
The piece displays a fascinating combination of galena, sphalerite, and rock crystal or quartz.
Particularly impressive is the nearly full-coverage bright crystal growth. Numerous rock crystals are partially coated with a fine, glittering layer of quartz, giving the surface an almost frosty, sugar-like texture. Under direct light, countless small crystal faces sparkle, lending the entire specimen extraordinary depth.
Beneath and between the bright quartz, the darker associated minerals emerge repeatedly. Gray to metallic-looking galena forms a strong contrast to the white to slightly grayish-blue crystal lawn, while brown to dark brown areas of sphalerite add further mineralogical diversity to the piece.
The three-dimensional formation of the specimen is particularly beautiful: elevations, small crystal cavities, densely covered surfaces, and individual protruding rock crystals ensure that new structures can be discovered from every angle.
On one side, the dark metallic base is particularly clearly visible. Here, one can see beautifully how the quartz has grown directly onto the sulfide minerals – an exciting insight into the structure of this typical Madan mineralization.
Madan in the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria is one of the classic European localities for high-quality galena, sphalerite, and quartz specimens. The complex intergrowths of these minerals have made pieces from this district highly sought after by mineral collectors for decades.
Minerals:
• Galena – gray to metallic
• Sphalerite – brown to dark brown
• Rock crystal
• Quartz
• Fine, partially drusy quartz coating
Locality:
Madan, Rhodopes, Bulgaria
Weight:
approx. 525 g
Dimensions:
approx. 120 × 90 × 60 mm
A beautiful collector's item with exceptionally dense crystallization, strong contrast between the dark sulfide minerals and the bright quartz, and a fascinating, glittering surface texture.
You will receive the exact individual piece shown in the photos.
