This choice miniature specimen features brassy pyrite crystals with a complex modified habit, a characteristic result of pyrite pseudomorphing after marcasite—a distinct feature of Nanisivik Mine pyrite. Scattered among the pyrite are microcrystals of sphalerite. This specimen was likely collected in the 1990s, during the operation of the Nanisivik Mine, located in the former company town of Nanisivik, Nunavut. Situated 750 km North of the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island, the mine opened on October 15, 1976, making it one of the most northerly mines in the world. While sphalerite was the primary ore extracted, the mine also became famous for its unique and high-quality mineral specimens. The Nanisivik Mine closed permanently in September 2002 due to declining resources and low metal prices. Despite its closure, it remains highly regarded among collectors for the distinctive minerals it produced.
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