Pyrite (ps after Mascasite)

This specimen showcases a single, large, bright brassy pyrite pseudomorph after a marcasite blade, exhibiting excellent form and strong metallic lustre. There is minor contact or bruising at the tip, but the blade remains exceptionally impressive, representing one of the largest single examples of this habit that I have encountered. The reverse hosts another pyrite blade, as well as a couple of small dog-tooth calcite crystals, while the base shows cleavage surfaces of dark sphalerite, the principal ore mineral of the deposit. Highly displayable from multiple angles, this is a striking and visually dynamic specimen that rewards a good spot on serious collectors' cabinet shelf.

The Nanisivik Mine, located on northern Baffin Island approximately 750 km north of the Arctic Circle, was one of the world’s most northerly operating base-metal mines. It opened in 1976 and primarily produced zinc and lead from Mississippi Valley type mineralization hosted in dolostone. Although the mine closed permanently in 2002 due to declining resources and metal prices, Nanisivik has become legendary among collectors for the distinctive and often beautifully crystallized specimens it produced.