Chalcopyrite

Unknown Owner

A somewhat rounded grouping of iridescent chalcopyrite crystals without matrix. In very good condition. A good thumbnail for the species from this long closed and important locality. One could almost refer to this as blister copper.The Flambeau Mine in Rusk County, Wisconsin, was a copper and gold mine that operated as an open pit from 1993 to 1997 near the town of Ladysmith. The deposit was a volcanogenic massive sulfide ore body hosted in Precambrian volcanic rocks. Mining produced copper rich ore containing minerals such as chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and pyrite, along with small amounts of gold and silver. Although the mine operated for only a few years, it became well known among mineral collectors for producing well crystallized sulfide specimens from pockets encountered during mining.