One of the displays in the Mineral Museum on the campus of Montana Tech in Butte features a collection from Tsumeb in Namibia. The mine is atop a mineralized pipe, a nearly vertical ore deposit that extends to a depth of over 4,000 feet. Large scale mining took place here between 1907 and 1996. The mine produced 1.7 million tons of copper, 2.8 million tons of lead, and 0.9 million tons of zinc.
According to the display:
“A total of 247 different minerals are known to occur at Tsumeb, and 40 of these minerals can be found nowhere else on earth but at Tsumeb. The great variety of mineral specimens can be attributed to circulating grounds waters that oxidized the primary sulfides in the pipe.”
Museums
Museums 101 is a series of photo tours of museum displays. More minerals:
Museums 101: The Gem and Mineral Hall (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Gold (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Gems and Minerals as Art (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: California Gems and Minerals (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Hixon Gem Vault (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: South American Gems and Minerals (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Some Minerals (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Thunder Eggs (Photo Diary)