Galena, Marcasite

Lead Cove, located on Newfoundland’s west coast, was the site of a 19th-century British lead mine. At the time, the region was under French control due to a peace treaty, and conflict eventually forced the British to abandon the site. Since then, the mine has remained dormant, visited only by mineral collectors seeking well-formed galena and other crystals.

This specimen features a matrix of sparkling marcasite crystals on limestone, accented by sharp, beveled galena cubes etched out of calcite. A fine example from this historic and lesser-known locality, it displays beautifully.