Provenite

Madan ore field

AreaUnknownDraft data

41.5000° N, 24.9500° E · ± 10 km

Galena, Quartz and Rhodochrosite from Smolyan Province, Bulgaria, with photos of specimens from this locality.

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Minerals found here

GalenaQuartzRhodochrosite

On the same specimen

Same specimen Galena growing on Quartz

Cabinet specimens from Madan show lustrous silver-grey galena crystals, many with skeletal or hopper-like modified cube forms and some spinel-twinned, on a matrix of needle-like quartz, with chalcopyrite also present.

The skeletal galena habit is typical of Madan, and the needle quartz base makes a dramatic, delicate display.

Sources: SRC-157

Same specimen Sphalerite with Galena

1 specimen photo(s) from this locality show galena with sphalerite together. The pairing comes from the photographer's file name and label, so the relationship between the two minerals is not specified.

Same specimen Galena with Rhodochrosite

1 specimen photo(s) from this locality show rhodochrosite with galena together. The pairing comes from the photographer's file name and label, so the relationship between the two minerals is not specified.

Same specimen Quartz with Rhodochrosite

1 specimen photo(s) from this locality show rhodochrosite with quartz together. The pairing comes from the photographer's file name and label, so the relationship between the two minerals is not specified.

Same specimen Pyrite with Rhodochrosite

1 specimen photo(s) from this locality show rhodochrosite with pyrite together. The pairing comes from the photographer's file name and label, so the relationship between the two minerals is not specified.

Galena at Madan ore field

Plate of interpenetrating cuboctahedral galena crystals with small needle quartz crystals.
Plate of interpenetrating cuboctahedral galena crystals with small needle quartz crystals.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Skeletal galena crystal of 1.7 cm on sphalerite and sulfide matrix with needle quartz.
Skeletal galena crystal of 1.7 cm on sphalerite and sulfide matrix with needle quartz.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Cluster of steel-gray galena cubes to 1.3 cm with needle quartz, sphalerite and pyrite cubes.
Cluster of steel-gray galena cubes to 1.3 cm with needle quartz, sphalerite and pyrite cubes.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Formula
PbS

Sources: SRC-157

About Galena →

Quartz at Madan ore field

Formula
SiO₂

Sources: SRC-157

About Quartz →

Rhodochrosite at Madan ore field

Ball-shaped salmon-pink rhodochrosite clusters with quartz crystals and galena, Madan ore field.
Ball-shaped salmon-pink rhodochrosite clusters with quartz crystals and galena, Madan ore field.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Bladed pastel-pink to tan rhodochrosite balls on quartz with quartz needles and pyrite, Madan ore field.
Bladed pastel-pink to tan rhodochrosite balls on quartz with quartz needles and pyrite, Madan ore field.
Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Formula
MnCO₃
Morphology
Ball-shaped clusters of bladed crystals capping quartz
Typical size
Specimens 6-10 cm
Color / luster
Salmon-pink, pastel pink to tan; lustrous
Associated minerals
Quartzgalenapyrite
Availability
Scarce

Sources: SRC-946 SRC-947

About Rhodochrosite →

Geology of the locality

Setting
Skarn-type lead-zinc ore field in the Central Rhodopes: ore occurs in veins following faults, in sulfide-veinlet stockworks in strongly altered rock at depth, and in skarn replacement bodies where faults cut marble.
Type
Skarn, Hydrothermal
Host rock
Marble and altered rock (skarn replacement bodies and fault-hosted veins)
Region
Smolyan Province
Country
Bulgaria

Coordinates of Madan town (Wikipedia), used for the ore field at town level.

Sources: SRC-053 SRC-056 SRC-057

Sources

  1. SRC-053 · Website
    Galena from the Madan ore fieldTurnstone Geological Services (turnstone.ca)
  2. SRC-056 · Database
    Zapadno Gradishte deposit, Madan ore field, Smolyan Province, BulgariaMindat.org (zh mirror)
  3. SRC-057 · Website
    Madan, BulgariaWikipedia
  4. SRC-157 · Website
    Galena with Chalcopyrite and Quartz (Madan)Mineral Auctions
  5. SRC-946 · Website
    File:Rhodochrosite-Galena-26432.jpgRobert M. Lavinsky · Wikimedia Commons (dealer label)
  6. SRC-947 · Website
    File:Rhodochrosite-Quartz-Pyrite-62615.jpgRobert M. Lavinsky · Wikimedia Commons (dealer label)

Draft data from the Provenite workbook. Check entries against the cited sources before relying on them. Photos are open-licence images from Wikimedia Commons; the author and licence are given with each photo.