Enargite from Butte Mining District, Montana, USA - image 1
Enargite from Butte Mining District, Montana, USA - image 2

Enargite from Butte Mining District, Montana, USA

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Classic thumbnail specimen for this famous mining district, this is a cluster of lustrous metallic enargite crystals. In good condition with slight cleaving present, the prominent crystals are fine.Butte, located in Silver Bow County, Montana, is one of the most famous historic mining districts in the United States, often referred to as the Richest Hill on Earth. Mining history in the area began in the 1860s with placer gold and silver prospecting before transitioning into massive copper extraction driven by industrial demand and tycoons like Marcus Daly. Geologically, the district is centered around the Butte Quartz Monzonite, a large intrusive pluton of the Cretaceous Boulder Batholith, which was subsequently fractured and invaded by complex hydrothermal vein systems. These veins produced billions of pounds of copper, zinc, silver, and gold, cementing Butte's legacy as a cornerstone of American mining history.

Product details

SpeciesEnargite
SizeThumbnail
Dimensions2.5 x 2.0 x 1.5 cm
Added on09/07/2026
Current owner
Unknown Owner
Acquired
Sep 2026
Price paid
$300.00
Previous owners
DateCollectorAcquisition price
—Weinrich MineralsNot disclosed

Learn more

Enargite
Mineral guide
Learn about Enargite
sharp metallic prisms, gunmetal color with iridescent tarnish; rare top specimens on quartz or pyrite from classic mines like Butte, Bingham.
Enargite
Regional guide
Enargite from Butte Mining District, Montana, USA
steel-gray to iron-black prisms from the Butte Mining District; prized for sharp orthorhombic form, mirror terminations, and iconic orebody context.
Locality guide
Butte Mining District
Butte Mining District, USA - famed copper-molybdenum vein system yielding museum-grade ore specimens, enargite prisms, covellite plates, and rich collector app…