Calcite

Unknown Owner

Gorgeous glassy gem colorless to red crystals of calcite measuring to 3.7 cm in size on matrix. In excellent condition. This is brightly fluorescent red under longwave ultraviolet light. Tonglushan in Daye, Hubei Province, China is one of the countrys most historic copper mining areas, with evidence of bronze age mining and smelting dating back more than 3000 years. Ancient miners extracted copper ore from open pits and underground workings, and archaeological excavations have revealed old shafts, furnaces, tools, and slag that document early metallurgical techniques. In modern times the area became an important industrial copper producer under state operation, contributing to Chinas nonferrous metal industry. Today Tonglushan is also recognized as an important archaeological and industrial heritage site that illustrates the long history of copper mining and metallurgy in China.