Bornite with Pyrite on Quartz - image 1

Bornite with Pyrite on Quartz

Unknown Owner
Two rather nice 'carbuncle' type bornite crystals sitting on top of a typical quartz coated matrix from this rich copper mine. The bornites are coated with chalcopyrite giving a slightly rounded shape to the crystals. A nice little curiosity from this important cooper mine.

Product details

Species
Bornite, Quartz, PyriteAbout Bornite →
SizeMiniature
Dimensions3.0 x 4.8 x 1.9 cm
Added on10/24/2024
Locality
Kazakhstan, Karaganda Region, Dzhezkazgan mining districtRegional guide →

Known provenance

DateCollectorAcquisition price
—Unknown Owner$250.00
—Crystal ClassicsNot disclosed

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Mineral guide
Learn about Bornite
vivid iridescent tarnish, metallic luster, and rare sharp crystals; formed in diverse deposits and prized by collectors for color, rarity, and histor…
Bornite
Regional guide
Bornite from Dzhezkazgan mining district, Kazakhstan
Dzhezkazgan is the bornite locality serious collectors use as a benchmark. Bornite is not an exotic species in ore deposits, but sharp, lustrous, free-standing bornite crystals of display quality are uncommon worldwide; Dzhezkazgan is one of the few places where the species came out as recognizable crystals rather than merely as metallic ore. The classic look is a dark, metallic, blue-black to black crystal—often with subtle violet, indigo, silver, or bronze tarnish—set against pale quartz, calcite, or bladed baryte. The contrast is part of the magic: a dense copper-iron sulfide with a dark velvet-metal surface perched on a light, sparkling gangue.