FIOR14-30
Covellite With Djurleite Ps. Pyrite and Chalcopyrite
Calabona Mine, Alghero, Sassari Province, Sardinia, Italy
Small Cabinet, 7.0 x 7.0 x 5.0 cm
Ex. Giancarlo Fioravanti; Tiziano Bonisoli
SOLD
Covellite is considered one of the 'holy grails' by Italian collectors, and the Calabona mine produced very few of them in its historical mining (1850-1900). These blades range up to 3 cm across, and they have a muted metallic luster and iridescence due to alteration to Djurleite (which produces a black surface with minute sparkles that are not coming through in the photos). The replacement is unusual. There is associated Djurleite ps. Pyrite, along with Pyrite and Chalcopyrite. To quote a previous owner, "A picture of this specimen was published by Revista Mineralogica Italiana (2009), vol 2, as one of the best minerals at the 2008 Turin exhibition." It is very 3-dimensional, and is better in person. This is a piece from the noted Bonisoli collection in Italy.