Moving mountains for you
Switch currency

Current Live Auctions

Current Live Fixed Price Sales

Sternbergite & Argentopyrite

Views:
Watches:
MGR815153

Sternbergite & Argentopyrite

Rare Mineral

Description Tabs

Description
Locality: 
Vater Abraham Mine, Lauta, Marienberg, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany
Class: 
Combination
Size Range: 
Thumbnail (1-3cm)
Size: 
2.8 × 2.6 × 1.5 cm
Description

A rare orthorombic mineral occurring in Pinchbeck brown with metallic lustre, flexible(!), mm-sized tabular crystals. It and its dimorph argentopyrite are often pseudomorphed to iron oxides which collapse to dust when poked with a needle. On the way to the oxide replacements, partial pseudomorphs of pyrite or marcasite after either dimorph confused early workers. Named in honor of Caspar Maria Sternberg, who was the founder of the National Museum of Prague. And this specimen shows a very attractive and aesthetic assemble. Should be high valued for rarity and quality.

Mineral Data
What's on the rock

Sternbergite

Formula: 
AgFe2S3
Strunz: 
2.CB.65
Hardness: 
1.0 - 1.5
Streak: 
Black
Type Locality: 
Jáchymov (St Joachimsthal), Jáchymov District (St Joachimsthal), Krušné Hory Mts (Erzgebirge), Karlovy Vary Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic

Argentopyrite

Formula: 
AgFe2S3
Strunz: 
2.CB.65
Crystal System: 
Orthorhombic
Hardness: 
3.5 - 4.0
Streak: 
Grey.
Type Locality: 
Jáchymov (St Joachimsthal), Jáchymov District (St Joachimsthal), Krušné Hory Mts (Erzgebirge), Karlovy Vary Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic