Detailed information
Species
Native Copper, Cuprite
Dimensions
40 x 55 x 25
mm
Weight
56 g
Locality
Cobriza mine Mantaro river Huancavelica, Peru
Condition
No recorded repairs
This is not only a rare locality specimen, but a really remarkably well-crystallized one at that. Miniature in size this Native Copper and Cuprite from Cobriza mine in the remote Churcampa Province, Huancavelica, Peru possesses some really fine small Cuprite crystals. There is some bruising to the sides of the specimen, but there are many really well-formed cubo-octahedral deep blood red crystals in cavities. The Native Copper is tarnished and less obvious than the Cuprite, but holds most of the specimen together in a rich dense mass. The mine has a long history, dating to its discovery in 1866, but significant underground mining didn't start until 1967, but it was not until 1982 that operations expanded significantly and mining has continued since that time. Supergene oxidation of the ore body resulted in Native Copper and Cuprite near surface, but this ore was very limited, making specimens rare. Ex David Hardman collection: his white painted number label is just about visible at the end of the specimen.