This update is more
sulfide-intensive than the previous Peruvian update. Peru,
particularly in the 1980's was the source of literally tons of sulfide
specimens. While there, I tried to select pieces that differed
from the usual masses and jumbles of tetrahedrite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite.
Many of the sulfides on this page are from finds made over the last few
years, and in my opinion were (for the most part) better than the usual.
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PRU1 Rhodochrosite
Uchucchacua Mine, Oyon Prov., Lima
Dept., Peru
5.1x 3.1x 4.1 cm
$580
A beautiful miniature specimen, hosting numerous
scalenohedral crystals of gemmy red rhodochrosite that have the best
color for Peru. This specimen
is from a pocket encountered a few years ago-- this is the pocket that
produced most of the better specimens currently on the market.
None has been found since.
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PRU2 Huebnerite, Quartz, Fucshite
Pasto Bueno,
Pallasca Prov., Ancash Dept., Peru
9.6x
3.4x 2.6 cm
$850
A double temrinated cluster of huebnerite crystals,
aesthetically perched on a cluster of double terminated quartz crystals.
There is also a small amount of light green fuchsite mica, that
contrasts nicely with the reddish huebneite.
I apologize for the hand in all the pictures, but as this
is a longer specimen I did not want to risk it tipping over and hitting
the glass table.
All in all, this is an excellent, damage free, example
of the species from the recent finds at Nuevo Mundo. For the size,
this is about as good as it gets for the species.
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PRU3 Pyrite ps. Pyrrhotite, Siderite on Galena
Pachapaqui Distr., Bolognesi Prov., Ancash Dept., Peru
6.1x 5.1x 3.7 cm
$400
This is a very interesting specimen, consisting of a
crystalline galena matrix hosting two pyrrhotite prisms that have
completely pseudomorphed to pyrite. There is also a small ball of
siderite on the bottom right of the specimen. Damage free.
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PRU4 Barite, Galena, Sphalerite
Huancavelica Dept., Peru
7.8x 4.0x 4.2 cm
$365
A stunning combination specimen from Peru, with four barite
rosettes perched on the edge of a matrix that also contains numerous
galena and sphalerite crystals. This is an exceptionally beautiful
piece illustrating a barite habit that is less common from Peru; these
days it seems that the only available Peruvian barites are the transparent
crystals from Miraflores (see below).
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PRU5 Barite
Cerro
Warihuyn, 2 hours walk from Miraflores, Huamalias. Huanuco, Peru
5.0x 4.0x 3.5 cm
$225
A beautiful, gemmy, and thick barite crystal perched on
the edge of its matrix. I visited the the locality, and purchased
this specimen in the nearest town. The specimen is excellent, but
the winding mountain roads leading into the town were not.....
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PRU6 Calcite with Sphalerite
Pachapaqui Mine, Bolognesi Prov., Ancash
Dept., Peru
6.3x 5.0x 4.0 cm
$175
A specimen hosting numerous prismatic calcite crystals that
are associated with sphalerite. This combination of habit and association
is not often seen from peru. Much better in person.
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PRU7 Calcite incl. Hematite
Racracancha
Mine, Tinyahuarco Dist,. Pasco prov., Cero De Pasco Dept., Peru
10.5x 5.8x 3.4 cm
$140
A cluster of spiky calcite crystals, lightly included with
hematite that gives them a reddish coloration.
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PRU8 Calcite incl. Hematite
Racracancha
Mine, Tinyahuarco Dist,. Pasco prov., Cero De Pasco Dept., Peru
6.8x 5.5x 3.8 cm
Another specimen similar to the above, though with
more intense color.
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PRU9
Realgar and Orpiment
Paloma Mine, Castrovirreina Prov.,
Huancavelica Dept., Peru
4.3x 3.1x 2.4 cm
$100
A lovely "ketchup and mustard" realgar and orpiment
combination from the find made about 2 years ago. Orpiment has been
known from Peru for years, but until this find, the country had produced
next to nothing in the area of realgar.
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PRU10 Sphalerite (GEM!)
Rhodochrosite, Quartz
Pachapaqui Mine, Bolognesi Prov., Ancash
Dept., Peru
3.5x 3.3x 1.2 cm
$165
This update is full of specimens with unusual
associations, but this piece has by far one of the strangest.
This specimen combines yellow gem sphalerites with
rhodochrosite, making for a lustorus specimen with a beautiful color
contrast.
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PRU11 Garnet var. Andradite
Quebrada
Rio Seco, Pisco Prov., Ica Dept., Peru
2.7x 2.0x 1.5 cm
$70
An excellent garnet thubmnail that is unusually sharp and
aesthetic for a Peruvian garnet.
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PRU12 Siderite on Chalcopyrite
Julcani
Dist., Angaraes Prov., Huancavelica Prov., Peru
9.5x 6.0x 5.3 cm
$230
A beautiful Peruvian siderite specimen, with many honey-cololed
rhombs nested in a matrix of chalcopyrite tetrahedrons.
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PRU13 Arsenopyrite, Pyrrhotite
Huanzala Mine, Huallanca District, Dos de
Mayo Province, Peru
4.3x 3.3x 3.5 cm
$175
An example of classic Huanzala material, consisting of a
cluster of pyrhotite crystals that have been coated and pseudomorphed by
reticulated arsenopyrite.
The pyrrhotite crystals are more distinct in person, and
the reticulated arsenopyrite is quite impressive under the loupe.
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PRU14 Pyrite on Quartz
Pachapaqui Mine, Bolognesi Prov., Ancash
Dept., Peru
8.3x 5.7x 2.2 cm
$95
A beautiful cabinet specimen, consisting of a plate of
quartz crystals interspersed with numerous sharp, striated pyrites.
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PRU15 Galena, Sphalerite on Quartz
Paloma Mine, Castrovirreina Prov.,
Huancavelica Dept., Peru
9.7x 7.1x 4.2 cm
$220
An excellent cabinet Peruvien Galena, with numerous
flattened galena crystals sharing a matrix with a couple sphalerite
crystals.
This specimen is considerably better in person, and the
flattened nature of the crystals makes it quite unusual.
The Paloma mine is the same one that produced the recent
realgar/ orpiment combinations (see below.)
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PRU16 Pyrite on Quartz
Huaron
Mines, Cerro de Pasco, Daniel Alcaldes Carrion Prov., Peru
5.1x 4.8x 3.5 cm
$165
A stunning pyrite quartz combination that stands out among
the tons of pyrite that have come from Peru. It consists of a
cluster of very sharp pyrites, over which have grown numerous terminated
quartz crystals. This is a superb miniature, and a beautiful example
of Peruvian pyrite.
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PRU17 Siderite, Galena, Pyrite ps.
Pyrrhotite
Pachapaqui Distr., Bolognesi Prov., Ancash Dept., Peru
5.7x 4.8x 4.0 cm
$165
This specimen is the inverse of PRU3, and from the same
find. In this specimen, the focus is the siderite ball, and it
shares a matrix with a pyrite ps. pyrhottite pseudomorph. The matrix
is covered with blocky galena crystals.
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PRU18 Tetrahedrite, Galena, Quartz
Quiruvilca Dist., Santiago de Chuco Prov., La Libertad Dept., Peru
5.2x 4.8x 2.6 cm
$135
A nice tetrahedrite/galena combination specimen, associated
with a small sprat of quartz crystals.
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PRU19 Tetrahedite coated with
Bournonite
Pasto Bueno,
Pallasca Prov., Ancash Dept., Peru
3.4x 3.0x 2.9 cm
$150
New Find!
A compound tetrahedrite crystal from a new find at the
Nuevo Mundo Mine. The tetrahedrite's faces are covered with
small bournonite crystals.
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PRU20 Pyrite with Sphalerite
Morococha District, Yauli Province, Junín Department, Peru
12.3x 6.7x 2.3 cm
$225
A cabinet specimen hosting numerous pyrite crystals that
have grown over sphalerite crystals.
We have all seen hundreds (if not thousands) of
pyrites specimens from Peru, but the spahlerite layer gives this one a
very different appearance. The image of the dark sphalerite
reflects off the many pyrite faces, giving the specimen a dark yet
highly lustrous appearance. Much better in person.
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PRU21 Pyrite, Sphalerite
Morococha District, Yauli Province, Junín Department, Peru
9.8x 7.0x 3.6 cm
$165
A cabinet specimen hosting numerous pyrite crystals that
have grown over sphalerite crystals.
We have all seen hundreds (if not thousands) of
pyrites specimens from Peru, but the spahlerite layer gives this one a
very different appearance. The image of the dark sphalerite
reflects off the many pyrite faces, giving the specimen a dark yet
highly lustrous appearance. Much better in person-- you can
actually see the individual crystals.
Unfortunately, the many reflections make it
difficult to appreciate the specimen.
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PRU22 Galena on Quartz
Paloma Mine, Castrovirreina Prov.,
Huancavelica Dept., Peru
10.2x 8.2x 3.5 cm
$185
A beautiful Peruvian galena specimen, with several
slightly etched galena crystals nested in a matrix of quartz crystals.
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PRU23 Calcite incl. (Boulangerite?)
Huinac
mine (Winac mine), La Merced, Huaraz, Aija Province, Ancash Department,
Peru
3.3x 2.8x 1.9 cm
$85
An odd calcite, darkened by inclusions of another
(unidentified) mineral. The calcite is fluorescent.
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PRU24 Pyrite on Pyrite
Huanzala
Mine, Huallanca District, Dos de Mayo Province, Huánuco Department, Peru
4.9x 4.2x 3.5 cm
$145
Here is another odd pyrite. Although it is hard
to see from the pictures, this specimen is actually a cubic crystal that
has been overgrown on all faces by a thin layer of dodecahedral pyrites.
The net effect is a pyrite cube that appears to be
composed of hundred of smaller pyrite crystals.
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PRU25 Galena, Sphalerite on Quartz
Paloma Mine, Castrovirreina Prov.,
Huancavelica Dept., Peru
6.7x 5.7x 4.8 cm
$170
An excellent miniature specimen of Peruvian galena.
This specimen is considerably more three dminesnional than it appears in
the photographs, with numerous flattened galena crystals rising straight
out of the matrix. There is also a sphalerite crystal on the quartz
as well.
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PRU26 Galena, Quartz, Orpiment
Paloma Mine, Castrovirreina Prov.,
Huancavelica Dept., Peru
6.6x 4.5x 3.5 cm
$90
An unusual galena/ orpiment combination from the Paloma
Mine. The orpiment and galena share a matrix composed of hundreds of
quartz crystals.
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PRU27 Epidote
Pampa Blanca Mine, Castrovirreina Prov.,
Huancavelica Dept., Peru
4.3x 3.0x 2.9 cm
$90
A beautiful miniature epidote specimen, consisting of a
spray of terminated epidoes rising out of a matrix coated with many
small quartz crystals
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