Detailed information
Dimensions
107 x 76 x 63
mm
Weight
462 g
Locality
Baia Sprie (Felsöbánya) Maramureș County Romania
Condition
No recorded repairs
The very rare lead antimony sulphide species Semseyite was discovered at the Baia Sprie mine in Maramureș County, Romania in 1881 but it was not only a new species, but one which formed highly visible distinctive crystals. Always small, the grey metallic bladed crystals are known to liberally carpet vein material but specimens from the Type Locality are now rarely seen available. During the 1940s onwards, the biggest source of fine Semseyite crystals was the Herja mine just four miles away, and material from that mine eclipsed the quality of earlier finds in the neighbouring valley. Often, specimens from Herja mine got labelled as from Chiuzbaia, a village in another valley, but which is nearer to Baia Sprie mine, thus, there are many examples of confused labelling. This exceptionally richly crystallized Semseyite display specimen is not only covered in 3-4 mm long sharp, mostly undamaged Semseyite crystals, but on the opposite side it is revealled that these crystals form an outline, or cast, after that of a large Calcite crystal, but rather than remaining a hollow void, the centre of this cast contains a fairly large Quartz crystal. This extremely unusual specimen comes with a custom-made acryllic display stand.
