Detailed information
Species
Cuprite, Quartz
Dimensions
44 x 44 x 20
mm
Locality
Wheal Gorland, St. Day Gwennap, Cornwall England
Condition
No recorded repairs
A Cornish classic in miniature. Richly crystallized, bright Cuprite cements shards of milky Quartz veinstone from Wheal Gorland near the village of St. Day in Gwennap parish, Cornwall, England. Wheal Gorland produced some of the finest specimens of Cuprite from Cornwall, many of which were discovered in the earliest years of the 19th century as the mine worked downwards through a very thick and extensive oxidation zone. At that time, the Cuprite crystals were some of the world's best. This, albeit small specimen, is a fine example of the crystallized material found at that time with perfect octahedral Cuprite crystals to 2 mm across, many of which are extremely gemmy and bright blood-red when viewed under a microscope.