QUARTZ, SPHALERITE AND PYRITE, HUARON, SAN JOSE DE HUAYLLAY DISTR. CERRO DE PASCO, PERU (cabinet)

Sphalerite, a sulfide mineral represented by the formula (Zn, Fe)S, serves as the primary source of zinc. This mineral occurs in various types of deposits, predominantly in sedimentary exhalative, Mississippi-Valley type, and volcanogenic massive sulfide formations. It is commonly found alongside other minerals such as galena, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and various carbonates and silicates, including calcite, dolomite, quartz, rhodochrosite, and fluorite.

Pyrite, commonly referred to as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula FeS2, also known as iron (II) disulfide. It is the most prevalent sulfide mineral found in nature.

Quartz is a robust crystalline mineral made up of silica, or silicon dioxide. Its structure consists of a continuous arrangement of SiO4 silicon-oxygen tetrahedra, where each oxygen atom is shared between two tetrahedra, resulting in the chemical formula SiO2. This classification places quartz as a framework silicate mineral in terms of structure and as an oxide mineral in terms of composition. It ranks as the second most prevalent mineral in the continental crust of Earth, following feldspar.

Private Peruvian Collection. Very rare as the mines closed decades ago. Former Steve Moon Collection.