Sponge Gold Cluster
Belshazzar Mine, Quartzburg Mining District, Boise County, Idaho
This exceptional native gold specimen features a tightly interwoven cluster of robust crystals, forming a striking and compact three-dimensional structure. Its architecture is defined by a maze of sponge-like formations that twist and overlap, creating a highly intricate and visually captivating network. Several crystals are sharply formed, with some extending outward as fine branching short wires. Portions of white quartz matrix are attached to the gold, with a few wires penetrating into the quartz itself. The gold exhibits a bright luster and a rich, buttery-yellow coloration, hallmark traits of high-quality native gold. Specimens from the Belshazzar Mine are exceedingly rare, and when encountered, they often display this distinctive sponge and wire crystal habit are one of the rarest and most sought-after natural growth patterns in gold.
33 × 25 × 20 mm
19.12 grams