Pyrrhotite

A lustrous brassy specimen of inter-grown pyrrhotite crystals and white quartz. Pyrrhotite is unusual iron sulfide with variable iron content. The specimen comes from the Blue Bell Mine, once a major lead-zinc producer until its closing in 1971. This rare specimen was most likely unearthed in the 50s or 60s. If you can get your hands on the January-February, 1977 issue of the Mineralogical Record you can read more about the locality boasting "The specimen quality rivals other well-known localities such as Santa Eulalia, Mexico and Trepca, Yugoslavia." Sweet!