Silver (w. calcite and cuprite)

calcite; conichalcite-duftite; cuprite; eugenite (?); malachite

An intergrowth of cuprite and calcite with minor conichalcite-duftite and malachite hosts spongy aggregates of wire silver. The yellowish colour of the silver implies a significant mercury content which also raises the possibility that eugenite (?) is present in the amalgam. Gebhard (1999) reported silver amalgam containing 25 wt % Hg from 44 Level in the third oxidation zone and Gebhard and Schlüter (1994) used XRD to demonstrate that the amalgam contained eugenite (or a very similar phase).

The specimen is in the collection of Sharon and Eugene Cisneros. The location in the mine is not recorded but the paragenesis is strongly indicative of the third oxidation zone.