|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
One of the most unusual and distinct miniatures, this piece proabably has the widest flanking crystallization of any around the central twin. This gives it much more lateral depth and size impression that with most specimens here, and hence the price reflects this special quality. It is one of the top miniatures in the find, I can say. 4.8 x 1.8 x 1.5 cm
Sharp miniature with exquisite secondary crystallization wrapping the piece to the point of the central twin! 5.0 x 1.4 x 1.4 cm
Sharp, very symmetrical twin! 5.0 x 1.2 x 1.2 cm
An oddly ASYMMETRIC piece, which is most unusual for this find, showcasing dramatic flanges more to one side than the other, at the base. Very stark and dramatic! The width at the base highlights the 3-dimensional sharpness of the upper portion of the twin! 4.8 x 1.5 x 1.2 cm
A remarkably sharp specimen like a needle, with beautiful elegant tapering to the tip! The side shown is not the best, i now notice...the other side shows more symmetric twinning along the central plane. 6.8 x 1.5 x 1.3 cm
A visually stunning, curved specimen showing dramatic secondary crystallization that is the most complexly symmetric of the lot, when such has occured. the lateral orientation of the crystals on the secondary growth is really enhancing of the sharp central twinning, and the centrla twin has extra-thick flanges as a result that really draw the eye inward to the point. One of my favorites of the lot! 7.8 x 2.0 x 1.7 cm
An excellent large twin, with sharp flanges aside the main axis - note the unusual extended crystal atop, for example! A very fine, large speicmen at a fair price, i would say 7.0 x 1.5 x 1.4 cm
A slender, elegant crystal with deep twin crevasses along all sides, just razor sharp! 7.2 x 1.2 x 1.2 cm
WONDERFUL, large, and elegant small cab with a graceful curvature and tapering to it that is really unusual in the lot! 6.9 x 1.5 x 1.1 cm
ex. Martin Zinn
The datolites from Michigan�s copper country generally weather out of the amygdaloidal basalts. Since they are closely associated with the copper deposits they are often invested with enough copper to give them a beautiful terra-cotta color, like this one. But in this consistent color and depth of hue, it is rare. A fine miniature!
ex. Evan Jones
A mesmerizing copper that is a flat plate , composed entirely of crystallized copper. There are several spinel twinned crystals here to 4 inches ?! What really makes it, though, is not the overall complexity and size per se, but that wild right angle atop, where you just do not expect to see crystals growing off at 90 degrees like that?!
ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
This is a beautiful silver specimen with accents of native copper on some of the silver , which provide s areally nice contrast. The silver and copper metals are not intermixed. Although no old label comes with the specimen, it is numbered on the bottom ANSP#23423 which indicates an age in the 1930s, probably. Several of these crrystals exceed 1 cm individually, and about an inch in aggregate. The cluster has a swaying look to it, as if it is caught in motion, "moving."
ex. Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences
This is a beautiful specimen, pure and simple. Regardless of anything else. The surreal blue color looks fake, painted. However, the color is actually due to copper inclusions. Note the obvious presence of a rare green mineral in small , sharp crystals: probably libethenite or brochantite. Both are found at the mine, and I have a sample sent out for analysis now.
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 mine was founded in 1837 and mined continuously at peak production through the US Civil War, reaching its heyday by 1900 although it remained open until 1953. Here we have a historic, significant, and luckily gorgeous specimen of the botryoidal variety of chalcopyrite called "blister copper" by the miners. It is the finest such example I have seen for sale on the market, outside of the museum collections on the East Coast. It is colorful, 3-dimensional, and large. It is also complete all around. As they are heavy and ore-rich, and were not thought as collectible at the time as the sharp chalcocites from this old mining locality, ironically fewer specimens probably survive today. At least, I see them even less on the market than the equally historic chalcocites, so this is my assumption as to why. NOTE: THE HANDWRITTEN LABEL IS FROM WILLIAM SANSOM VAUX!
All Content and Design ©1996-2012 The ArkenstonePowered by http://mineralwebsites.comMineral Specimens by species; or by specimen id. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
share specimen![Copper from Chino Mine (Santa Rita Pit; Santa Rita Mine), Santa Rita, Santa Rita District, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-78838a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-78838a.jpg)
![Copper from Chino Mine (Santa Rita Pit; Santa Rita Mine), Santa Rita, Santa Rita District, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-78839a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-78839a.jpg)
![Copper from Chino Mine (Santa Rita Pit; Santa Rita Mine), Santa Rita, Santa Rita District, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-78840a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-78840a.jpg)
![Copper from Chino Mine (Santa Rita Pit; Santa Rita Mine), Santa Rita, Santa Rita District, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-78843a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-78843a.jpg)
![Copper from Chino Mine (Santa Rita Pit; Santa Rita Mine), Santa Rita, Santa Rita District, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-78844a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-78844a.jpg)
![Copper from Chino Mine (Santa Rita Pit; Santa Rita Mine), Santa Rita, Santa Rita District, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-78845a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-78845a.jpg)
![Copper from Chino Mine (Santa Rita Pit; Santa Rita Mine), Santa Rita, Santa Rita District, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-78846a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-78846a.jpg)
![Copper from Chino Mine (Santa Rita Pit; Santa Rita Mine), Santa Rita, Santa Rita District, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-78847a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-78847a.jpg)
![Copper from Chino Mine (Santa Rita Pit; Santa Rita Mine), Santa Rita, Santa Rita District, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-78848a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-78848a.jpg)
![Datolite included by copper from Knowlton Lode, Ontonogan County , Michigan, USA [db_pics/pics/mrz317a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/mrz317a.jpg)
![Copper from Ray Mine, Pinal Co., Arizona, USA [db_pics/pics/nex40a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/nex40a.jpg)
![Copper from Ray Mine, Pinal Co., Arizona, USA [db_pics/pics/nex40b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/nex40b.jpg)
![Silver with Copper from Keweenaw Peninsula (probably Houghton County), Michigan, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-117a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-117a.jpg)
![Silver with Copper from Keweenaw Peninsula (probably Houghton County), Michigan, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-117b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-117b.jpg)
![Silver with Copper from Keweenaw Peninsula (probably Houghton County), Michigan, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-117c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-117c.jpg)
![Silver with Copper from Keweenaw Peninsula (probably Houghton County), Michigan, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-117d.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-117d.jpg)
![Aragonite with copper inclusions from Manto Cuba Mine, Inca de Oro, Chañaral Province, Atacama Region, Chile [db_pics/pics/pas-123a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-123a.jpg)
![Aragonite with copper inclusions from Manto Cuba Mine, Inca de Oro, Chañaral Province, Atacama Region, Chile [db_pics/pics/pas-123b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-123b.jpg)
![Aragonite with copper inclusions from Manto Cuba Mine, Inca de Oro, Chañaral Province, Atacama Region, Chile [db_pics/pics/pas-123c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-123c.jpg)
![Chalcanthite with COPPER replacing Wood from Rambler Mine, New Rambler District, Albany Co., Wyoming, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-178a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-178a.jpg)
![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)
![Chalcanthite with COPPER replacing Wood from Rambler Mine, New Rambler District, Albany Co., Wyoming, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-178d.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-178d.jpg)
![Chalcopyrite var. Blister Copper from Bristol Copper Mine, Bristol, Hartford Co., Connecticut, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-60a.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-60a.jpg)
![Chalcopyrite var. Blister Copper from Bristol Copper Mine, Bristol, Hartford Co., Connecticut, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-60b.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-60b.jpg)
![Chalcopyrite var. Blister Copper from Bristol Copper Mine, Bristol, Hartford Co., Connecticut, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-60c.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-60c.jpg)
![Chalcopyrite var. Blister Copper from Bristol Copper Mine, Bristol, Hartford Co., Connecticut, USA [db_pics/pics/pas-60d.jpg]](db_pics/pics/pas-60d.jpg)