V22-1151
Djurleite (superb single crystal)
Ait Ahmane, Bou Azer Dist., Ouarzazate Prov., Morocco
Miniature, 4.0 x 2.8 x 0.7 cm
$9,000.00 Payment Plan Available
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Here is a truly important miniature Djurleite from finds in Morocco in early 2016 that are now considered best of species. The tabular, complex, and geometric crystal exhibits a satin metallic luster with a gunmetal gray color; and is 4.2 cm in maximum dimension. Djurleite is chemically similar to but much rarer than, Chalcocite. The intricate and geometric growth features on the surface are what really take this to another level and almost look designed and welded onto the surface of an otherwise flat crystal, giving it a machined or man-made look! It is unusually robust, as well, compared to other examples from this find which were more elegant and fragile in general. This natural "design" on the front may actually represent incipient hopper growth or maybe a later generation of Djurleite "plated" onto an earlier formed Djurleite crystal. This is an outstanding miniature that totally outdoes any other previously known examples of this species! It was a world-class find that reset the standard for this rare copper sulfide species from the remote Moroccan mountains. We initially held this back for a while to see if more would come out and they did not, and no more have been found (meanwhile we moved buildings and five years later, found the piece again to offer to you now!). The quality of this single pocket is such that another seems very unlikely. Multiple analyses, including the Paris National Museum, have confirmed the identity as Djurleite, not Chalcocite as some had suspected. A requested feature in the 2022 "What's New in Minerals" article in The Mineralogical Record.