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Chalcocite

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MEX1025223

Description Tabs

Description
Locality: 
Judkins Quarry, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, United Kingdom
Class: 
Crystals on Matrix
Size Range: 
Thumbnail (1-3cm)
Size: 
2.8 × 2.1 × 0.8 cm
Weight: 
3.00gr
Description

Discover these exceptionally well-formed, thick tabular chalcocite crystals, grown on translucent calcite and shining in a fascinating black-grey on a light background. Chalcocite, a copper sulphide, is the namesake of this special mineral subclass and, together with djurlite, forms the most common mineral within this group.

This rare material comes from the united kingdom and is one of the few finds that were possible before the 1980s. Mining operations had to be finally discontinued in 1996 due to slope stability problems. The attached photos show only a small part of the numerous well-formed chalcocite crystals on this specimen. The quarry is known for its diverse and unique mineral paragenesis.

Mineral Data
What's on the rock

Chalcocite

Formula: 
Cu2S
Strunz: 
2.BA.05
Crystal System: 
Monoclinic
Hardness: 
2.5 - 3.0