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NV - Austin,Lander County - 1865 - Silver Ores - Austin, Nevada

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Western Americana Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
NV - Austin,Lander County - 1865 - Silver Ores - Austin, Nevada
Session D is a Mail-Bid Only Auction. Absentee bids will be accepted only. No live bidding will be allowed. All winners will be contacted after the auction. BIDDING ENDS MONDAY JUNE 27 AT 5PM PACIFIC TIME!!!
Lot of 49 silver ore samples from Austin, Nevada, one of the most prolific silver mining boom towns within the state. Many samples were collected from the historic Amador Mine, the Lost Mine and other locations within the Reese River Mining district, with many dating from the early 1860's. Initial ore mined consisted of chlorargyrite (also known as cerargyrite) as silver was easy to extract from oxide ores. Examples of this material are within this suite. Due to the difficulties encountered in silver extraction with the deeper sulfide ores, only high grade material was mined later in the district. High grade samples within this lot are between 1 and 4 inches in diameter and include the ruby silvers pyrargyrite and proustite, many showing the radiate reds of their namesake. Samples also include examples of argentite-acanthite, polybasite, friebergite (silver bearing tetrahedrite-tennantite), and accessory galena, pyrite, and chalcopyrite. Given the grade and diversity of silver bearing minerals within this collection, especially the presence of oxide ores (these were mined first and not typically preserved) and documentation of samples from the earliest mining within the Reese River District, this collection should appeal both to the mineralogist and especially those interested in historical mining memorbillia. While there are 49 silver ore samples only a representative portion of the lot was photographed. Not all of the pieces in the lot were photographed.