Acanthite ps Argentite
Posted by: macadmin on 05.14.2020 | Filed under:

Acanthite ps Argentite

Specimen # 100400
Mineral: Acanthite ps Argentite
Location: Acanthite ps Argentite, Imiter Mine, Djebel Saghro, Ouarzazate Province, Morocco
Size: 3.8 x 3.1 x 1.8 cm

Description

Detailed Description

Twin spires of delicate stacks of acanthite crystals (pseudomorphs after argentite) make this a completely distinctive specimen. Protected between the two stacks, small wires of silver are visible with magnification. This piece is a complete floater, a couple of tiny inconsequential non-distracting nicks, in excellent condition. This is a one-of-a-kind acanthite.

 

About These Acanthites

Well-crystallized acanthite has never been common and most of the known localities for crystals are historic, making it difficult, and usually expensive, to obtain fine specimens. The finds at Imiter (Africa’s largest silver mine) in recent years have placed it among the world’s best localities for crystallized acanthite. Although these crystals formed as argentite, argentite is not stable below 179C, at which point it changes to monoclinic  acanthite. The specimens are acanthite pseudomorphs after argentite, retaining the isometric crystal form of the original argentite crystals. I assembled this lot of acanthites over a period of about two years. Most of these specimens, from the 2008 find, remained in Morocco until 2013.

Additional information

Dimensions 38 × 31 × 18 cm

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