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Sylvanite

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Sylvanite

Rare Mineral - Type Locality
Classic Locality

Description Tabs

Description
Locality: 
Franciscus Mine, Baia de Arieş, Alba County, Romania
Class: 
Crystals on Matrix
Size Range: 
Small cabinet (7-10 cm)
Size: 
7.3 × 5.6 × 2.7 cm
Description

This is a stunning specimen of Sylvanite, the rare silver and gold telluride, was discovered here at this type locality in 1835. And this is an exceeding rich and well crystallized item. It is known at its best for this surreal, metallic-organic growth that seems to have pattern, when crystallized at we see here. More technically speaking, these are flat-lying crystals in the form of typical graphic intergrowths ("Schrifterz"). The effect is bizarre, and beautiful. Good "handsized" specimens from this type locality, most surely dating to the mid 1800s or before, are extremely hard to obtain today on the market. Named after the Transylvania region of Romania, where it was first found, and Sylvanium, one of the names proposed for the newly discovered element tellurium, which it contains.

Mineral Data
What's on the rock

Sylvanite

Formula: 
(Au,Ag)2Te4
Strunz: 
2.EA.05
Crystal System: 
Monoclinic
Hardness: 
1.5 - 2.0
Type Locality: 
Baia de Arieş (Offenbánya), Alba Co., Romania
Wendel Minerals

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