Auction Win: ‘Black Rose’ Vanadinite on Baryte (great color!)

Locality: Mibladen mining district, Midelt Province, Drâa-Tafilalet Region, Morocco

The ‘Black Rose’ description actually pertains to the dark side of this specimen, with Vanadinite on black Goethite on petal-like bladed Baryte.

The highlight on this piece, in our opinion, is the gemmy and highly lusterous Vanadinite on the “backside”.

Vanadinite is a secondary lead chlorovanadate with the formula Pb5(VO4)3Cl, named for its vanadium content and first discovered by Andrés Manuel del Río before vanadium was identified in 1830. It serves as a primary industrial source of vanadium, an element critical for strengthening alloys used in automobile and jet engine parts.

Mibladen mining district, located in Midelt Province of Morocco’s Drâa-Tafilalet Region, is a world-renowned source of exceptional vanadinite specimens, often found with baryte, calcite, and goethite. The ore bodies are hosted in Jurassic carbonates and Infracenomanian conglomerates, creating a unique geological setting that has produced some of the finest lead vanadate crystals known to collectors. This locality is especially prized for its bright orange, well-formed vanadinite crystals, which are considered among the most desirable in the mineral trade. Today, Mibladen remains a top destination for serious collectors seeking high-quality, visually striking specimens from a historically significant mining district.