Chalcopyrite on Calcite

Here is a striking, iridescent Chalcopyrite on Calcite from a limited find in Hubei, China back around 2014-15! A dusting of tiny, sparkling, multi-colored iridescent Chalcopyrite crystals cover whitish Calcite scalenohedrons in a very attractive and loose grouping. There is good isolation between the Calcite crystals and the amount of Chalcopyrite coving them is variable from mostly covered to just sprinkles to areas with no Chalcopyrite at all! Much of the steep, pyramidal points on a few Calcites are densely covered and on others the covering is patchy resulting in a nice combination of visible, transparent to translucent Calcite and iridescent Chalcopyrite! The iridescent, metallic peacock colors range from green to yellow to orange and locally red and blue which is in lovely contrast to the white to gray-white Calcite crystals! This is actually one of the very best in the size class. We were in China when these were initially found and bought up as many of the good ones as we could find during that trip and a few following, and I sold this one and got it back recently. No more came out after, and the overall aesthetics and color of this piece rank it among top in the size range (which is the best range for most of us as collectors!) Simply stunning - it is vastly different than any other such combination.

Unknown Owner

Product details

Species

Chalcopyrite, Calcite

SizeSmall Cabinet

Dimensions7.4 x 6.5 x 3.7 cm

Locality

China, Hubei, Daye Co.

Added on12/02/2024

Comments

Known provenance

2025/11