Minerals from Germany

Germany has a long mining history and has produced a wide range of mineral specimens, many of which are still highly regarded by collectors today.

The Saxony and Thuringia regions are probably the best known, particularly the Freiberg and Schneeberg districts. These areas have produced silver minerals, including native silver and acanthite, as well as well-crystallised galena, sphalerite, fluorite, baryte and quartz.

Freiberg, in particular, is one of the classic European localities. Specimens from here are often old, well-labelled, and collected from mines that have long since closed.

The Black Forest (Schwarzwald) has also produced some very good material – including pyromorphite, baryte, and various secondary copper minerals. I’ve seen some quite good mimetite and anglesite from older workings in this region.

Germany is also the type locality for a number of rarer species, including realgar and stolzite, although these are mostly of interest to micromount and systematic collectors.

Fluorite is found in a number of regions, and there are some attractive pieces around – often in purple, green or colour-zoned cubic crystals. I’ve also come across some quite good calcite and witherite from older lead-zinc workings.

Many German specimens are found in older collections, often with historic labels referencing the German Empire or specific old mine names. It’s not unusual to find labels in German, French, or Latin, depending on the era.

We sell a range of specimens from Germany, not just minerals.

Germany