Silver

This specimen, sawn on one side and left rough on the other, presents a vein section from the historic Temiskaming Mine in Cobalt. On the polished face, the native silver appears as brilliant, metallic masses cutting through the arsenide-rich gangue, while on the rough reverse, it protrudes as bright, silvery knobs from the surrounding matrix illustrating the structure and composition of the classic carbonate–arsenide silver veins for which the Cobalt camp is famous for.

The Temiskaming Mine, among the earliest operations in the Cobalt camp, was discovered in 1906. Interestingly, the discovery vein was initially barren of visible silver, with ore only encountered at a depth of about 80 feet. The deposit was later developed through three shafts, the deepest extending to 1,600 feet, and became a consistent producer for many decades. Operated in its later years by Agnico Mines Ltd., the Temiskaming Mine remained active until its closure in 1989.

A fine, well-presented example of Cobalt-style silver vein mineralization, illustrating both the geological and historical significance of this classic Canadian locality.