PORPEZITE - PALLADIAN GOLD. ...

Description

PORPEZITE - PALLADIAN GOLD
Itabira, Iron Quadrangle, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil
One of the problems associated with rare minerals (particularly ones found in limited quantities, over a short period of time, from only one locality, with little or no data recorded, some years ago) is that the specimen exists and can be analyzed, etc. but the precise location that produced it cannot be pinned down. That is the case here: this Porpezite is a very distinctly identifiable alloy of Gold with 5-10% of the rare Platinum Group metal: Palladium. It was found at one location, now lost, near Itabira in Brazil. This particular example shows a finely crystalline, almost cellular texture that has the appearance of a shiny sponge made of brass. The weight, approximately 132 grams, immediately suggests that there is a significant amount of gold contained in the specimen. There is a small amount of an unidentified white material in a crease to one side: presumably it is a remnant of the country rock. The renowned William W. Pinch Collection was at one time home to this exotically rare specimen. Mr. Pinch is reckoned to be one of the premier mineralogists of our time and his encyclopedic knowledge on the subject is formidable as well as legendary. A Pinch Collection label accompanies it. A note on the back of the label indicates that it assays 7% Palladium according to well known Brazilian dealer Carlos Barbosa. This rarely encountered golden treasure measures a sizable 2 ½ x 1 ¼ x ¾ inch.
Provenance: William W. Pinch Collection

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