FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Jim Prentiss]

Hello Everyone,

I have recently acquired a new Pyromorphite specimen. I have not been able to photograph it yet as it is too small for my little portable antiquated digital camera.

Originally I got it because the crystal habit seemed tabular or dsic shaped. There are plenty of those but there are several typical prismatic semi barrel shaped crystals that are capped off, in some cases, at each end with these discs.They look like free weight "dumbbells" and others are only capped off on one end and appear like mushrooms. The rest are just the tiny discs scattered about the matrix.

This piece is from the Hardshell mine in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The crystals are about 0.2 mm (0.008") or so, and the Pyromorphite is yellow, and that brings me to the main question, is it Pyrpmorphite or Mimetite or a combination of both, exhibiting different habits? Has anyone else seen these little "dumbbells"?

This little mineral is fast becoming one of my favorite specimens from a morphological standpoint, no matter what it ends up being.

Thanks,

Jim Prentiss

[Peter Megaw]

Jim...most of what comes from the Hardshell is indeed pyromorphite...and the dumbbells and half-dumbbells are a common habit from there. Been a long time since I've seen any new material on the market, but exploration is going on down there (see Wildcat Mining) so it wouldn't surprise me. Worst thing about collecting the Hardshell was that it was infested with fleas...clouds of them...you had to tie your cuffs closed with pet flea collars to keep from getting eaten alive!

The best Hardshell pyros are a lovely lime green rather than yellow.

[Jim Prentiss]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the conformation. I was unable to find any specific information about it on the internet.

See ya later,

jimp

[Peter Megaw]

Sorry, its Wildcat Silver....actually if you plug Hardshell and Wildcat into Google it will bring up their corporate website and a 43-101 report on the property which has a great deal of geological and metallurgical information.