Galena and Marcasite on Matrix from Pomorzany Mine, Olkusz, Poland

Classic old find from an abandoned mine: Distinct galena cubes with marcasite

This impressive and substantial large cabinet specimen presents a classic European ore mineral assemblage of considerable documentary value: galena accompanied by marcasite on matrix from the historic Pomorzany Mine in Olkusz, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland. The specimen is distinguished by sharply formed cubic galena crystals reaching edge lengths of approximately 1.5 cm. The metallic, lead-gray galena cubes are attractively associated with contrasting marcasite aggregates.

Large Cabinet Specimen from a Historic Lead-Zinc Mining District

The mining district around Olkusz is internationally known for its significant lead-zinc deposits. Of particular interest to collectors of historic localities, the Pomorzany Mine was permanently closed in 2020 after its reserves had been exhausted and was subsequently flooded. New specimens from active mining at this locality are therefore no longer expected. Measuring 10.5 × 7.0 × 5.0 cm, this specimen belongs to the large cabinet size category and has a substantial weight of 770 g. For stable display in a mineral cabinet, the underside of the matrix has been professionally sawn flat. A representative specimen for systematic collections, sulfide collections, and collections focused on historic European mining localities.