Tennantite on Chalcopyrite

$250.00

$40.00 shipping
Seller offers an extended return window of up to 30 days
Ships from USA

Crystal ClassicsFeatured

Tucson, Arizona, USA

7,543 for sale·132 sold

A good, showy, large miniature to small cabinet specimen of an often overlooked Cornish classic - crystallized Tennantite. On first impressions this specimen looks superb, with the upper display surface showing a 60 to 70 % coverage of bright metallic, dark gun-metal grey Tennantite crystals, to 1 to 2 mm in size, with large areas showing a lovely iridescent patina for which these Cornish specimen are much prized. However, to be super critical - and this is reflected in the price - many of Tennantite crystals are damaged: abraded where they sit up the highest from the surface. This is not really noticeable unless viewed with a microscope, as one is more drawn by the beautiful, and classic, iridescence. The matrix is fine grained Chalcopyrite, almost grading towards the variety Blister Copper. The specimen is accompanied by two old handwritten labels, one with the feel of mid-19th century and this fits with Greg and Lettsom stating in 1858, that no specimens had been found recently. The old labels provide the locality as simply "Cornwall", but the best crystallized specimens of Tennantite came from Wheal Jewel in Gwennap Parish.