Calcite, Dolomite, Pyrite

This charming miniature features a pleasing association of dolomite, honey-coloured calcite, and numerous micro pyrite cubes. The specimen is nearly a floater, with only a couple of small contact points. This is an excellent association piece and a strong representative miniature for the locality.

The specimen comes from the Nanisivik Mine on northern Baffin Island, roughly 750 km north of the Arctic Circle, one of the world’s most northerly operating base-metal mines. Active from 1976 until its closure in 2002, Nanisivik produced zinc and lead from Mississippi Valley–type mineralization hosted in dolostone. Today, the mine is legendary among collectors for its distinctive and often beautifully crystallized specimens, making examples such as this increasingly scarce and highly desirable.