Cuprite

$450.00

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Malachite and Cuprite are two well-known secondary copper species - one a carbonate, the other an oxide. Sometimes they are found together, but in those circumstances Malachite is usually replacing, or pseudomorphing, the Cuprite. This pretty large miniature specimen from the Tenke-Fungurume area in the Kolwezi mining district, DR Congo presents a lovely combination of a bed of deep green compact crystallized sprays of Malachite with five clusters and individual octahedral and cubo-octahedral Cuprite crystals scattered along a vug within the Malachite. The largest Cuprite crystal reaches a respectable 7 mm across and the clusters are twinned crystals. Two of the Cuprite crystals (one at either end of the vug) show slight chipping, revealing their bright deep purple glossy interior whilst the outer surfaces of the Cuprite are all oxidized slightly to a pale bluish-white coating.