Scorodite with Ferberite

📍Hemerdon Tungsten Mine (Drakelands Mine), Sparkwell, South Hams, Devon, England, UK
Dimensions: 33 × 28 × 17 mm

This specimen comes from the Hemerdon Tungsten Mine (also known as Drakelands Mine) in Devon, England, a locality renowned for producing some of Europe’s finest scorodite specimens. The piece features dark ferberite crystals as the matrix, richly coated with sparkling blue scorodite, creating a striking contrast between black and blue. The Hemerdon deposit has a unique history: tungsten was first discovered there in the 19th century, followed by mining during both World Wars, a trial operation in the 1980s, and a brief period of large-scale open-pit mining between 2015 and 2018. During these phases, numerous superb scorodite specimens were recovered, often associated with ferberite and cassiterite. This combination of scorodite and ferberite beautifully represents the classic characteristics of this locality.