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Let's Rock => Mineral Specimens => Topic started by: AgateLicker on November 26, 2022, 11:49:26 AM

Title: Bunker Hill Mine Silver and Cerussite
Post by: AgateLicker on November 26, 2022, 11:49:26 AM
A small specimen obtained in Wallace, ID by my husband at a yard sale. It's on platy galena with lots of small reticulated cerussite crystals. I was researching native silver and the images I came up with helped to ID this specimen. After washing it (it's dirty again, lol) I found a little silver node tucked in the cerussite on one edge. It's ropy and bright!

Specimen is less than an inch square and L shaped like a corner. Crystals are less than 10mm across. Magnification is x30.


Title: Re: Bunker Hill Mine Silver and Cerussite
Post by: AgateLicker on November 26, 2022, 11:59:14 AM
Mindat says, "Bunker Hill is neoprot. Polymetallic deposits in neoprot. quartzite of the St. Regis and Revett fm's... Shallow ore bodies mined in the 1880's - 1900's were largely oxidized with cerrusite as primary ore mineral." Which this specimen is.

The mine has produced prolific amounts of zinc, lead and silver primarily and is now operated by a Canadian company looking to exploit smaller overlooked veins  that were bypassed in the past due to them being worth more to pursue than prospective yield would garner post-smelting.
Title: Re: Bunker Hill Mine Silver and Cerussite
Post by: 55fossil on November 26, 2022, 04:29:57 PM
Great photos and a nice addition to all our jasper and agate stuff.....  Maybe I will get around to identifying the dozen or so mineral / ore specimens I have from Idaho. Not as cool as yours though.   awesome
Title: Re: Bunker Hill Mine Silver and Cerussite
Post by: AgateLicker on November 27, 2022, 08:15:50 AM
Thanks for the kind words. It would be great to see what you've got hanging around. I don't think I've yet to see an Idaho rock that wasn't ta least interesting geologically.