Detailed information
Species
Calaverite, Fluorite, Quartz
Dimensions
143 x 73 x 27
mm
Locality
Portland Mine, Cripple Creek Cripple Creek District Teller Co., Colorado, USA
Condition
No recorded repairs
Calaverite is a rare gold telluride mineral and many of the world's best examples have come from the Cripple Creek District in Teller County, Colorado where gold tellurides constitute the main ore of gold. This large cabinet specimen of finely crystallized sinter-like Quartz is loaded with hundreds of bright, metallic, yellowish to tin white crystals of Calaverite, measuring in the 2 mm region, all over the display side of the specimen. Some purple Fluorite is also apparent on the specimen. This specimen is specifically from the Portland mine, a gold mine that started in 1892, but which has been largely consumed by the large openpit operations at Cresson mine. It should not be understated how remarkable this specimen is for its size - not so much the size of the individual Calaverite crystals, but their abundance overall. A truly significant Calaverite specimen. From a very famous modern German collection.
