Famous Mineral Localities: The Las Chispas Mine, Arizpe, Sonora, Mexico

摘要

The production history of the Las Chispas mine is mixed, since it was interrupted by revolution, strikes and seizure. The total silver production of the mine probably did not exceed 20 million ounces, but it must be considered one of the "classic" localities owing to its production of fine mineral specimens. The number of specimens now in museums and private collections is the legacy of a very enlightened mine manger, Edward L. Dufourcq. Although Dufourcq straggled with constant highgrading and ore theft, he recognized that the specimens of acanthite, stephanite, polybasite and pyrargynte were remarkable and worthy of preservation.