Mimetite

Mimetite from the Pingtouling Mine is one of those mineral finds that collectors still talk about. The mine produced a run of bright orange to yellow-orange mimetite in the early 2000s, with sharp hexagonal crystals. Some specimens show the different generations of orange and yellow mimetite growing together.

What makes the locality interesting is how quickly the material became famous. The first specimens appeared on the market around 2002–2003, and the exact locality was initially unclear, with pieces being labeled from different parts of China before Pingtouling was confirmed as the source. The find was relatively short-lived, and fine specimens have become much harder to come across now.