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Chalcopyrite (On Hold)
SKU: 06-0020-5555
12.5 x 11.5 x 3.5 cm
Cerro Blanco, Atacama Region, Chile
This specimen has a huge WOW factor. A "carpet" of small, lustrous white quartz crystals forms the matrix upon which dozens of sharp, bright, brassy yellow chalcopyrite crystals have grown. The chalcopyrite crystals have crystallized in the tetrahedral form and range in size from 5 mm to over 1cm across.
This is a very aesthetic and highly collectible piece from one of the world's most famous copper mining districts. Chile led the world in copper production from 1850 to 1880. Mining operations at Cerro Blanco and nearby Carrizal provided from 10 to 15% of all the world copper demand during the 1850s to the 1870s. The specimen was collected many decades ago and has been in the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science's mineral collection as specimen #19605. The Philadelphia Academy is the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the Americas. The specimen comes with a custom made acrylic base.