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4.0 x 3.5 x 2.3 cm. A very attractive specimen of lustrous, complex, dark wine-red cuprite crystals aesthetically scattered on a crust of two intergrown rosettes of lustrous, bladed, velvet primary malachite. These are not azurite pseudos! Most large malachite crystals are actually secondary, in other words formed as replacements of azurite which crystallized first. This is primary crystallized malachite, very rare in such sizable crystals and with the association even more incredible to find in a good specimen. This pristine, excellent and showy piece is from an unknown mine in the famous Shaba Province of Zaire.
4.3 x 2.7 x 2.6 cm. A super-sharp, GEM, blood-red cuprite crystal aesthetically set on powder-blue plancheite-covered matrix on this excellent and showy specimen from the famous Kamoto Mine of Zaire. Cuprite is not well-known from the Kamoto Mine, so this is an outstanding piece for the species and locality. The 1.3 cm cuprite has textbook octahedral form and the super-trivial edge wear is barely noticeable and is certainly not a detraction to this classic material. Ex. H. Westenburger Collection.
9.7 x 8.5 x 3.7 cm. Scintillating, magenta, hair-like needles of cuprite variety chalcotrichite are RICHLY scattered in a large vug in sculptural massive hematite matrix from the recent finds at the famous Daye Mine of China. Most of the needles are so fine it is hard to see them all. They reach nearly 3.0 cm long! There are MANY, MANY MORE needles than the photos show. This is a rich and very fine, highly representative specimen of the species and locality.
6.5 x 3.9 x 0.5 cm. This thin, dendritic, "fan" of 100% crystallized copper has been colored red by the minute inclusion of cuprite. There are also several, lustrous, red, SHARP crystals of cuprite, to 1mm across, scattered on the copper specimen. A significant piece because few Tsumeb collections are graced by an aesthetic copper: despite its mineralogical wealth of copper based minerals, Tsumeb seems to have rarely produced good primary copper in crystalline form. Ex. Charlie Key Collection.
7.8 x 4.7 x 2.8 cm. A crust of lustrous white dolomite is partially stained green by malachite. Situated on right side of the specimen is a compound cluster of gemmy and lustrous, bright red cuprite crystals. The rosette measures 2 cm across. Visually, this specimen is very pleasing to the eye and unusually attractive for a Tsumeb cuprite in particular. Ex. Charlie Key Collection.
6.2 x 5.3 x 4.5 cm. One of the rarest occurrences at Tsumeb is when chalcotrichite, the fibrous phase of cuprite, includes other minerals. Here we have a shockingly contrasting green malachite matrix which has encased an etched cerussite crystal 3 cm across. The cerussite has a reddish-orange color and fine luster. Rare and very unusual in this size, and on any kind of matrix at all! Ex. Charlie Key Collection.
1.8 x 1.3 x 1.2 cm. One of two thumbnails of a set Charlie had, this is intense red-orange calcite colored so by minute inclusions of chalcotrichite. This is a very rare and desirable habit for the locality, and this is overall a fine, showy thumbnail specimen. Ex. Charlie Key.
2.0 x 1.5 x 1.3 cm. One of two thumbnails of a set Charlie had, this is orange calcite colored so by minute inclusions of chalcotrichite. This is a very rare and desirable habit for the locality, and this is overall a fine, showy thumbnail specimen. Ex. Charlie Key.
7.8 x 7.5 x 6.5 cm. A very rich and showy Tsumeb copper ore specimen. A sparkly druse of deep wine-red cuprite microcrystals coats a mounded, vuggy, 3-dimensional matrix of brecciated, massive cuprite nicely complimented by small calcite crystals on both sides. The cuprite is darker than the photo shows, as the lighting and high lustre of the cuprite brightened the piece. Hefty for its size! Ex. Rob Smith Collection and a highly representative Tsumeb cuprite specimen.
8.7 x 6.8 x 5.7 cm. A WEIRD, UNUSUAL, but SHOWY Tsumeb combination specimen! Brick-red cuprite of the variety chalcotrichite encrusts a vug lined with sparkly, cream-colored, botryoidal smithsonite in mostly massive smithsonite matrix. Chalcotrichite is RARE at Tsumeb and I have never seen a robust variety of chalcotrichite like this before - usuaully they are isolated needles! Certainly a RARE varietal. Ex. Rob Smith Collection.
2.3 x 2.0 x 1.5 cm. A large, sharp crystal of cuprite with the typical green oxidation coating from the copper content. The contacting is on the bottom - the top features very sharp faces. On the underside, you can see the deep red color of the cuprite; these are actually gemmy, just very dark red - and usually seen with the green patina on the faces, as with this one.
10.5 x 9.2 x 5.3 cm. A VERY RICH, OLD-TIME and showy CABINET combination specimen from the famous Carn Brea Mine, Illogan, Cornwall. Lustrous microcrystals of wine-red cuprite and nests of sponge-like copper crystals dominate the crest of BOTH sides of the box-work, gray, sintered-like quartz matrix. This super, old and historic piece was mined in the 1840s-60s, according to the handwritten label accompanying the specimen. The Carn Brea Mine was formed in 1832 by the amalgamation of four older mines!
7.0 x 6.7 x 5.7 cm. A STRIKING, OLD-TIME and RARE specimen from the famous Czar Shaft at Bisbee. Gorgeous and lustrous, bright red, calcite crystals are included with cuprite variety chalcotrichite and copper in numerous, very well-placed vugs on BOTH SIDES of the robust gossan matrix. The calcite crystals are found in clusters or as beautiful, isolated crystals to 6-7mm or so. Fabulous, desirable Bisbee material found at the 200 ft. level of the Czar Shaft prior to the mine closing in 1944, according to the accompanying dealer label. Ex. Dave & Emily Stoudt Collection.
9.8 x 7.1 x 2.8 cm. A sculptural and extremely rich, two-sided specimen covered with lustrous, gemmy to opaque, deep wine-red cuprite crystals to 6 mm on a breccia matrix. This showy old-timer hails from an unknown Bisbee mine, but nonetheless is very rich and highly representative of the species and famous locality. The scattered bit of contacting is certainly not a detriment to this excellent specimen. Ex. R. Buckingham and Richard Hauck Collections.
3.5 x 2.5 x 2 cm. This is a fine example of the rare red cerussites found just once at Tsumeb. Ex. Willy Israel Collection.
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share specimen![Cuprite, Malachite from Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre) [db_pics/mdpics/MD-158649a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-158649a.jpg)
![Cuprite, Plancheite from Kamoto Principal Mine (Kamoto Fond Mine; Kamoto Mine), Kamoto, Kolwezi, Western area, Katanga Copper Crescent, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre) [db_pics/mdpics/MD-160379a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-160379a.jpg)
![Cuprite (Var: Chalcotrichite) from Fengjiashan Mine (Daye Copper mine), Edong Mining District, Daye Co., Huangshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, China [db_pics/mdpics/MD-160394a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-160394a.jpg)
![Cuprite (Var: Chalcotrichite) from Fengjiashan Mine (Daye Copper mine), Edong Mining District, Daye Co., Huangshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, China [db_pics/mdpics/MD-160394b.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-160394b.jpg)
![Cuprite, Copper from Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine), Tsumeb, Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Namibia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-163019a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-163019a.jpg)
![Cuprite, Dolomite, Malachite from Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine), Tsumeb, Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Namibia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-163061a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-163061a.jpg)
![Cerussite, Cuprite (Var: Chalcotrichite), Malachite from Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine), Tsumeb, Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Namibia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-163067a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-163067a.jpg)
![Calcite, Cuprite (Var: Chalcotrichite) from Emke Mine, Ogonja (Onganja), Seeis, Windhoek District, Khomas Region, Namibia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-163185a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-163185a.jpg)
![Calcite, Cuprite (Var: Chalcotrichite), Copper from Emke Mine, Ogonja (Onganja), Seeis, Windhoek District, Khomas Region, Namibia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-163283a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-163283a.jpg)
![Cuprite from Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine), Tsumeb, Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Namibia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-165201a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-165201a.jpg)
![Cuprite (Var: Chalcotrichite), Smithsonite from Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine), Tsumeb, Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Namibia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-165806a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-165806a.jpg)
![Cuprite, Malachite from Ogonja (Onganja), Seeis, Windhoek District, Khomas Region, Namibia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-168679a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-168679a.jpg)
![Cuprite, Copper, Quartz from Carn Brea Mine (incl. Tregajorran Mine), Carn Brea and Tincroft United Mine, Carn Brea area, Camborne - Redruth - St Day District, Cornwall, England, UK [db_pics/mdpics/MD-168758a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-168758a.jpg)
![Cuprite, Copper, Quartz from Carn Brea Mine (incl. Tregajorran Mine), Carn Brea and Tincroft United Mine, Carn Brea area, Camborne - Redruth - St Day District, Cornwall, England, UK [db_pics/mdpics/MD-168758b.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-168758b.jpg)
![Calcite, Cuprite (Var: Chalcotrichite), Copper from Czar Mine (Czar Shaft), Copper Queen Mine (Halero Mine), Queen Hill, Bisbee, Warren District, Mule Mts, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-169778a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-169778a.jpg)
![Calcite, Cuprite (Var: Chalcotrichite), Copper from Czar Mine (Czar Shaft), Copper Queen Mine (Halero Mine), Queen Hill, Bisbee, Warren District, Mule Mts, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-169778b.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-169778b.jpg)
![Cuprite from Bisbee, Warren District, Mule Mts, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-173709a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-173709a.jpg)
![Cuprite from Bisbee, Warren District, Mule Mts, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA [db_pics/mdpics/MD-173709b.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-173709b.jpg)
![Cuprite (Var: Chalcotrichite), Cerussite from Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine), Tsumeb, Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Namibia [db_pics/mdpics/MD-173883a.jpg]](db_pics/mdpics/MD-173883a.jpg)