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GeneralThe Precise Locality of Chinese Silver

11th Mar 2006 06:58 UTCBrian Wang

Some good silver specimens from China occured at mineral shows and dealers' websites these years. The locality, according to their specification, is "Huangtunxiang Mine, Lujiang, Anhui Province, China" or analogous terms. In China, "xiang" or "zhen" is a subdivision of a county. Huangtun is a town, the administrative center of Huangtunxiang (Huangtun Xiang). I have been suspicious of that long and made a short trip to the locality last week.

There is a limited deposit - Yueshan Ag-Pb-Zn Deposit under a hill named Yueshan (Yue Hill), 3-4 km northeast to Huangtun. Several small-scale private Pb-Zn mines around the hill within a small region exploited Pb-Zn ore since 1990's. Wire-like and hair-like silver was found in the oxidation zone at least 10 years ago. But the miners/peasants didn't know the value of it then. They pulled the wires and hairs out of matrix, and sold off as material by weight. They were taught how to recover silver specimens carefully just two years ago. Now the price is driven up there.

The deposit is rarely silver-rich, but not very productive of silver specimens. The mines are still in operation now, but most mining face have passed the oxidization zone. Maybe a little silver can be found in the future.

Which very mine(s) are the Chinese silver specimens on the market or in your hand from? No one can tell it. But there is no doubt that no mine is called "Huangtunxiang Mine". I think that the locality can be specified as "Yueshan Ag-Pb-Zn Deposit, Lujiang County, Anhui Province, China".

13th Mar 2006 14:40 UTCUwe Kolitsch Manager

Mr. Berthold Ottens, who has visited the mine recently, kindly provided the following comment:

There is a Huangtun mine and it is located about 500 m from the settlement Huangtun. It is possible that there are other small mines nearby.

The silver finds in recent years appear to be only 3-4 years old. The silver from last year definitely came out of the Huangtun mine.

13th Mar 2006 15:34 UTCJolyon Ralph Founder

I'm still quite suspicious of these wire silvers.. Has anyone seen any on matrix?

Jolyon

14th Mar 2006 11:36 UTCBrian Wang

Hi Jolyon,

Of course, yes, I saw and got some silvers on matrix at the locality recently. Some wires, unthreading interstices of mineral ore, not growing freely in vugs, are rough and zigzag. See my mindat gallery http://www.mindat.org/gallery-3316.html or my website http://www.wangminerals.com/list.asp?gallery=Species&value=Silver

I think silvers with matrix like these ones will appear on coming mineral shows.

Wang

14th Mar 2006 11:59 UTCBrian Wang

Is there a Huangtun mine and located about 500 m from the settlement Huangtun? Maybe. I will visit the area again to make it clear.

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