Pyromorphite- Daoping mine area, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang, China (P01)

Species: Pyromorphite (P01)

Locality: Daoping mine area, Gongchen County, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Province, China

Dimensions: 5 x 4.5 x 1.8 cm.

Southern China’s Daoping-Yangshuo orebody has produced some of the world’s finest pyromorphite crystals for over twenty-five years. In recent years, however, there have been very few new finds, and most great specimens are from finds in the early 2000’s. Recently, a small artisinal mine in the Daoping mine area has begun producing outstanding pyromorphite specimens, featuring large, complex crystals in a variety of styles. The so-called “matcha” color of these new pyromorphites is striking, ranging from a vivid grass-green to yellow green to yellow, and often very reminiscent of classic specimens from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, or Bad Ems Germany, or sometimes classic Bunker Hill mine Idaho pyromorphite. This is a superb example of the find and features highly 3-dimensional, hoppered, lustrous grass-green crystals to forming an aesthetic cluster of crystals to ~1 cm. Mark Cross photo.