Cleophane on quartz - Madan, Bulgaria | Ref. 416

About this specimen

This beautiful cleiophane on quartz specimen from Madan features a prominent cleiophane crystal measuring approximately 3 cm, standing out above an abundant crystallization of quartz.

The cleiophane displays numerous well-defined, highly reflective faces. Depending on the viewing angle and lighting, its color appears dark, with tones ranging from olive-brown to greenish. Several smaller crystallizations can also be seen among the numerous fine quartz crystals covering much of the specimen.

The photos and video allow the specimen to be viewed from different angles, highlighting the reflective faces of the cleiophane and the fine quartz crystallization.

Cleiophane

Cleiophane is a variety of sphalerite, a zinc sulfide with the chemical formula ZnS. It generally contains less iron than darker sphalerites and may display pale, yellowish or greenish tones.

Provenance

This specimen comes from Madan in southern Bulgaria, within the Rhodope Mountains. The region has a long mining history associated particularly with lead and zinc deposits, which have produced numerous mineral associations sought after by collectors.

The specimen was collected in 2007.

Dimensions and presentation

Length: 120 mm.

Height: 65 mm.

Weight with base: 687 g.

The specimen is displayed on an acrylic base.