Sphalerite with Calcite

Sphalerite with Calcite from Trepca Mine, Mitrovica, Kosovo, measuring 62 × 52 × 26 mm and weighing 104 grams. The specimen shows a strong contrast between dark mineral areas and the paler Calcite. That visual relationship makes the recorded association easy to appreciate, while the locality gives it a specific place among European mineral specimens.

Sphalerite is zinc sulphide, whereas Calcite is calcium carbonate. Their different chemistry links an ore mineral with a common accompanying carbonate, a pairing that invites attention to the whole assemblage. Collectors can appreciate the contrast in appearance while also considering how minerals with very different compositions become associated within a mineralised system.

Trepca Mine is retained with Mitrovica and Kosovo as the full supplied locality. The specimen's 62 mm span and relatively modest 26 mm depth make it a manageable cabinet piece. The photographs provide complementary views of the association, helping the darker and paler components to be considered together rather than reducing the description to the principal species alone. The provenance names the David Vince and Ruth Coulsell collections. These connections give the piece a collecting history to accompany its European locality. It is a satisfying association specimen with an accessible visual contrast and a useful mineralogical theme, suitable for a collection that follows zinc minerals, carbonates or the individual localities represented in a European cabinet.