Wire Gold Cluster
Belshazzar Mine, Quartzburg Mining, Boise County, Idaho
This exceptional native gold specimen is composed of a tightly packed aggregation of thick, well-formed crystals, creating a dense and highly intricate structure. The gold crystals are predominantly wire-like in form, with numerous segments interwoven and overlapping to produce a visually complex, three-dimensional network. The wires exhibit a coarse, robust character, with many showing distinct crystal faces and sharp terminations. Several crystals branch outward slightly, adding dynamic geometry to the overall mass. The entire surface of the specimen has a brilliant metallic luster, reflecting light with a vivid intensity, and displays the deep, buttery-yellow coloration typical of high-purity gold. Originating from the Belshazar Mine in Idaho, a locality known for producing extremely limited quantities of crystallized gold, this piece is a rare example of the wire crystal habit are one of the scarcest natural crystal habits of gold. Globally, only a few mines, including select locations in California, Venezuela, and Australia, are known to yield gold in this rare and sought-after crystal morphology.
22 x 14 x 10 mm
1.65 grams