page_title: Santa Elena de Uairén
section_title: References
hierarchical_section_title: Santa Elena de Uairén / References
caption_attribution_description: English: Gold Locality: Mina Zapata, Santa Elena de Uairen, Bolívar, Venezuela (Locality at mindat.org) Size: 3.4 x 2.6 x 1.8 cm. These sharp, complex gold crystals showing complex hoppered crystallization have become a modern classic that stand among the great gold specimens of all time. Very few specimens like these giants have been found at other locales (most notably Alta Floresta in Brazil a few years ago), not for the combination of size and sharpness both. This particular, large crystal is a superb example, complete-all-around, with particularly equant "fins" radiating out from the middle axis. It is a full miniature and until recently was in the noted collection of Gene Meieran of Phoenix, AZ. I obtained it from him in exchange in Tucson of 2007. Gene is himself a gold specialist, and so the fact that this was one of his several examples from here adds a bit of confidence to my estimation of its quality. I feel confident knowing that he had so much more opportunity, context, and knowledge base than I, as a serious gold collector, when he picked this specimen. He was able to examine these and purchase several of the finest when they were coming out in the mid 1990s (mostly), in part through his friend, dealer Wayne Thompson. This particular specimen was long in the Meieran collection and in fact was exhibited in a well-known combination exhibition of native elements (gold, silver, platinum, copper) that was on view at the Tucson show some years ago. Deutsch: Gold Fundort: Mina Zapata, Santa Elena de Uairen, Simón Bolívar, Venezuela (Fundort bei mindat.org) Größe: 3.4 x 2.6 x 1.8 cm.
context_page_description: Santa Elena de Uairén is a small Venezuelan city in the state of Bolívar near the border with Brazil and Guyana. It was Founded by Lucas Fernandez Peña in 1923. The city's name originates from the first daughter of Lucas Fernandez Pena Elena, and Uairén by the river that crosses the city.
  Located in the middle of La Gran Sabana, Santa Elena is home to many travel agencies offering tours in Canaima National Park, flights over Angel Falls, and hiking tours to the famous Monte Roraima.
  The town is notable for its influential presence of indigenous peoples; there is even a community called Manakrü populated entirely by indigenous people. The schools in this neighborhood use both Spanish and Pemon, an indigenous language.
  Due to its proximity to the Brazilian state of Roraima, Santa Elena sees a busy exchange between the two countries of Brazilian consumer products from Brazil and Venezuelan oil and petrol. Other Brazilian cities that trade with Santa Elena de Uairen are Manaus, Santarém, Macapá, Belém.
context_section_description: Mina Zapata at Mindat.org
caption: Gold specimen from Mina Zapata, Santa Elena de Uairén
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