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3.9 x 2.5 x 1.5 cm. A stunning, OLD-TIME specimen of glassy, electric-blue chalcanthite crystals richly set on matrix from a HISTORIC North Carolina locality - South Ashmead, Davidson County, now called the Silver Hill Mine. SELDOM on the market in this super quality, as you would expect. Ex. Philadelphia Academy of Sciences Collection.
4.5 x 3.5 x 1.2 cm. An attractive and unusual specimen in which the Aragonite is turned blue by the Chalcantite inclusions. Ex. Willy Israel Collection.
9.8 x 4.6 x 2.1 cm. Chalcanthite overgrown and intermixed with Aragonite, from Tsumeb. Note how thick the growth is, that this is not a crust but rather many generations of layering one atop the other making for a thick specimen. Ex. Willy Israel Collection.
13.4 x 11.3 x 8.7 cm. This is the largest and best crystallized natural chalcanthite that I have personally seen. It has a huge complete crystal of neon blue, sticking straight up from matrix. It is pristine, glows when backlit, and is from an old-time locality. Chalcanthite is easily synthesized today and grown in labs all around the world for the gift shop and fake rock markets. Chalcanthite forms as post-mining or manmade crystals from working copper mines such as in Arizona. Aside from the chance that this was post-mining (and I do not think it was), it is highly unlikely these were being made in labs and from gift shop chemistry sets back in the early 1900s in Chile. With as many copper mines as we have around, I have not seen any post-mining chalcanthite formed from the runoff of human workings that reaches this magnitude. So I find it unlikely this was formed in that manner, although it’s a slim outside chance. This is, surely then, natural as the museum its self concluded in the end. The wooden display label with it indicates exhibition in a case of trophies brought back from one of the famous Vaux expeditions of the 1920s, apparently. Ex. Academy of Natural Sciences Philadelphia Collection.
22.7 x 13.4 x 11.4 cm. The Rambler mine was in its heyday by 1900 or so, and continued for a number of years afterwards to dominate copper production in this region. This particular specimen is the only Chalcanthite of any kind that I have personally seen from the state is the only listed locality likely to have produced such a piece, although the label accompanying just says "chalcanthite - Wyoming - natural"). The specimen carries an old label from dealer Gary Hansen. Could it be formed from mine run-off? It DOES have the look of deposition from flowing solution, but this could have formed naturally, as the label says, during flow of water through the mine, completely unrelated to human mining. I am disinclined to think these to be manmade fakes. The giveaway is the presence of COPPER-REPLACED wood, embedded in the chalcanthite at the bottom and rear of the specimen. If you knock on it with a key or finger, the slender wood timber clinks like metal. The replacement is not 100% complete, as the wood is still somewhat malleable/bendable, but it is far enough along that you can say the copper has replaced much of the wood. So, we have a naturally formed example of chalcanthite, not made on a lab table - but formed post-mining from the runoff of the copper-laden waters running over old mine timbers. Ex. Academy of Natural Sciences Philadelphia Collection.
20.8 x 9.5 x 8.0 cm. This is a bizarre columnar Chalcanthite specimen that is coated by a thin layer of the iron sulfate romerite, through which nests of sharp, bladed melanterite crystals to 6mm in size poke out every which way on all sides. According to museum records and the number on the back of the piece (19977), this dates to the time period as the Vaux expeditions of the 1920s and thus was most likely collected by Sam Gordon, then-curator, on one of the early Vaux expeditions (1st or 2nd). Sam Gordon collected the specimen in 1921 (then on the Vaux expeditions). Ex. Academy of Natural Sciences Philadelphia Collection.
3.3 x 3.0 x 2.1 cm. A rare specimen of chalcanthite, from Bisbee. While the possibility exists for this species to be post-mining, we believe this was naturally formed in the mine in historic times and not from manmade activity as those specimens tend to be different in form. The piece is sparkly and attractive. From the well-known Tucson collection of 40-year collector, Harold Urish.
A STRIKING old-time specimen of needles of lustrous, royal-blue chalcanthite to 1.0 cm aesthetically set on a nicely contrasting crust of limonite from Washington Camp, Patagonia District, Arizona. Ex Richard Hauck Collection. 5.5 x 2.9 x 1.5 cm
ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
Maybe there are better, but I do not know of them. This is the largest and best crystallized natural chalcanthite that I have personally seen. It has a huge complete crystal of neon blue, sticking straight up from matrix. It is pristine, dramatic, glows when backlit, and is from an oldtime and romantic locality. Bottom line, though, it is just "pretty!" Chalcanthite is easily synthesized today and grown in labs all around the world for the gift shop and fake rock markets. Chalcanthite forms as postmining or manmade crystals from working copper mines such as in Arizona. It can be bought in the Smithsonian gift shop and grown from powder on the kitchen table. However, aside from the chance that this was postmining (and i do not think it was), my bet is they were not making these in labs and from gift shop chemistry sets back in the early 1900s in Chile. With as many copper mines as we have around, I have not seen any postmining chalcanthite formed from the runoff of human workings, that reaches this magnitude. So i find it unlikely this was formed in that manner, although its a slim outside chance. This is, surely then, natural as the museum itself concluded in the end: certainly one of the most dramatic examples of the species I can imagine. The wooden display label with it indicates exhibition in a case of trophies on return from one of the famous Vaux expeditions of the 1920s, apparently. Note another, clearly post-mining (but naturally made) American chalcanthite of substantial size in this update (PAS-178), as well.
ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
The Rambler mine was in its heyday by 1900 or so, and continued for a number of years afterwards to dominate copper production in this region. This particular specimen is the only Chalcanthite of any kind that I have personally seen from the state (and this is the only listed locality likely to have produced such a piece, although the label accompanying just says "chalcanthite - wyoming - natural"). The specimen carries an old label from dealer Gary Hansen. Could it be formed from mine run-off? It DOES have the look of deposition from flowing solution, but this could have formed naturally, as the label says, during flow of water through the mine, completely unrelated to human mining. As with another musuem chalcanthite of large size in this collection, I am disinclined to think these to be manmade fakes - something I would be very suspicious of today from contemporary mining locations. So, which is it? The giveaway is the presence of COPPER-REPLACED wood, embedded in the chalcanthite at the bottom and rear of the specimen. No kidding, if you knock on it with a key or finger, the slender wood timber clinks like metal. The replacement is not 100% complete, as the wood is still somewhat malleable/bendable, but it is far enough along that you can say the copper has replaced much of the wood. So , we have a naturally formed example of chalcanthite, not made on a lab table - but formed postmining from the runoff of the copper-laden waters running over old mine timbers. In any case, it is a huge, beautiful, breathtakingly colorful display specimen!
ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
This is a bizarre columnar Chalcanthite specimen that is coated by a thin layer of the iron suphate romerite, through which nests of sharp, bladed melanterite crystals to 6mm in size poke out every which way on all sides. Although not pristine (there are some damaged spots), it is dramatic and impressively displayable. According to museum records and the number on the back of the piece (19977), this dates to the time period as the Vaux expeditions of the 1920s and thus was most likely collected by Sam Gordon, then-curator, on one of the early Vaux expeditions (1st or 2nd)! You can see this dating jives with the dating on the museum's own large format display label, noting Sam Gordon collected the specimen in 1921 (then on the Vaux expeditions).
This is a colorful specimen that is impressive for the species, a good example from this small 2009 find. Really quite remarkable for both species AND for a locale from which we never suspected or saw such things before! The purple coquimbite (sharp crystals to 1 cm here) is included with internal specks of bright blue chalcanthite crystals. I have not seen this before and even in this find, it is not common. These crystals are among the world's best of species now, for both form and the robust purple color. This crystals are so well-developed, and so fine, some of the best of these look more like an Afghani apatite than any coquimbite i have seen from other locales. From the several hundred specimens we saw, we selected a few dozen
This is one of the larger and most colorful specimens overall, in a lot I obtained at Tucson from this small 2009 find. Really quite remarkable for both species AND for a locale from which we never suspected or saw such things before! The purple coquimbite is included with internal specks of bright blue chalcanthite crystals. I have not seen this before and even in this find, it is not common. These crystals are among the world's best of species now, for both form and the robust purple color. This crystals are so well-developed, and so fine, some of the best of these look more like an Afghani apatite than any coquimbite i have seen from other locales, and many people were saying they are now among best of species material at the show. I am told a limited number came out. From the several hundred specimens we saw, we selected a few dozen of which this, although small overall, is one of my favorites. All Content and Design ©1996-2012 The ArkenstonePowered by http://mineralwebsites.comMineral Specimens by species; or by specimen id. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
share specimen![Chalcanthite from Silver Hill Mine, Silver Hill, Cid District, Carolina Slate Belt, Davidson Co., North Carolina, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-157332a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-157332a.jpg)
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![Chalcanthite from Braden Mine, El Teniente, Rancagua, Cachapoal Province, Chile [db_pics/pics/pas-167b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-167b.jpg)
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![Chalcanthite with COPPER replacing Wood from Rambler Mine, New Rambler District, Albany Co., Wyoming, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-178b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-178b.jpg)
![Chalcanthite with COPPER replacing Wood from Rambler Mine, New Rambler District, Albany Co., Wyoming, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-178c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-178c.jpg)
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