Cuprite

Dan Weinrich

Dealer in fine mineral specimens

  

  

  

 This specimen of shale has an exposed fracture area that is lined with lustrous deep ruby red octahedral crystals of cuprite to 2 mm across. Minor duftite is found at the base of the cuprite crystals.

  

 This specimen is comprised of a lot of massive and crystalline curprite. The crystals reach up to 1 cm across. Also found are numerous mimetite crystals to 0.4 cm in length. Looking at the way the specimen is arranged it is evident that the mimetite preceeded the cuprite as many of the cuprite crystals are indcluded with mimetite.

  

Cuprite coating massive native copper

  

Origin: Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia

Sample size: 9.7 x 5 x 3.1 cm (top), 9.4 x 6.4 x 5.7 cm (2nd/3rd row), 5.5 x 4.7 x 2 cm (4th row), 2.2 x 2 x 1 cm (bottom)

 

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