SOLD
rar09-wp18
Toyohaite
Pirquitas (sector Oploca, level 7 1/4), Jujuy, Argentina
Small Cabinet, 7.1 x 5.6 x 3.4 cm
SOLD
ex. Dr. Werner Paar Collection TOYOHAITE, in crystals (!!) is super-rare. This specimen features a huge 1 mm EYE-VISIBLE crystals, clearly contrasted upon the sparkling sulfide matrix. Although not richly covered, this is a fantastic example for the species as it is so easily seen. They are not readily eye-visible in these photos, but there are many seen with a loupe and in person looking into the cavity (hence the price). It has a display quality, that is nice. All crystals are nicely protected in a shallow cavity, as well. This is the Ag-rich end member of the rhodostannite-toyohaite solid solution series. A very rare mineral originally described from the Toyoha mine in Japan where it occurred in microscopic grains only. For the first time, the new occurrence in Argentina provides large crystals of this species (+/- 1 mm) grown on franckeite-potosiite, and associated with other rare minerals like pirquitasite, cylindrite and fizelyite-ramdohrite. The mineral has a "pseudo-cubic" shape and looks like pyrrhotite. Only very few specimens with crystals were recovered, and chances to find additional material are almost none. A "must" for any collector of rare Ag minerals. The mineral was microprobed and almost exaxctly correponds to the end member composition