Broken Hill
Australia's most important mineral locality — a vast silver-lead-zinc orebody that produced world-class rhodonite, pyromorphite and native silver.
Broken Hill in New South Wales has been mined since 1883 and is Australia's most important mineral locality. Over 300 species are recorded from this silver-lead-zinc orebody, including world-class rhodonite, pyromorphite, cerussite, smithsonite and native silver. The oxidised zone that produced the finest Broken Hill secondary specimens was exhausted early.
In short
- Mined since 1883; one of the largest silver-lead-zinc orebodies ever found.
- Over 300 species recorded.
- World-class rhodonite, pyromorphite, cerussite and native silver.
- The oxidised zone at the top produced the finest secondary material and is long exhausted.
- The definitive Australian locality on any label.
| Species | Note |
|---|---|
| Rhodonite | Deep pink, the classic Broken Hill species |
| Pyromorphite | Fine green crystals from the oxidised zone |
| Cerussite | Large lustrous twins |
| Native silver | Wire and dendritic forms |
| Galena, sphalerite | The economic minerals |
| Willemite, smithsonite | Secondary zinc species |
The oxidised zone is the collector's zone
Broken Hill's upper oxidised zone was extraordinarily rich and produced most of the material collectors chase — pyromorphite, cerussite, native silver and the secondary zinc species. It was also mined out early.
Deep primary ore is still worked, but it yields sulphides rather than the colourful secondaries, so fine Broken Hill specimens are almost all old collection material.
Rhodonite, and why it is not just a lapidary stone
Most rhodonite on the market is massive material cut for cabochons. Broken Hill produced genuinely crystallised rhodonite, and a sharp crystal on matrix is a different proposition from a polished slab.
Distinguish them when buying. The words are the same; the specimens are not.
Australian provenance
For an Australian collection Broken Hill is the anchor locality, the way Cornwall anchors a British one. Old labels from the Australian Museum era carry real weight.
Look for a specific mine or lode on the label — Broken Hill covers a very large operation and a vague attribution tells you less than it appears to.