Copper after Aragonite

specimen number:
2063691

location:
Coro Coro, Pacajes, La Paz, Bolivia

description:

Classic Bolivian pseudomorph specimen, this is a loose complete floater sharp pseudo-hexagonal twinned crystal of what was aragonite, this now replaced by native copper. In excellent condition.

Located on the high Altiplano of western Bolivia in Pacajes Province, the Coro Coro mining district sits within extensive tertiary sandstone formations where centuries of historical copper extraction have taken place. The area is globally famous for producing exceptional mineral specimens known as pseudomorphs, specifically where native copper has replaced original crystals of aragonite while perfectly preserving their external six-sided prismatic shapes. These distinctive specimens formed when copper-bearing solutions percolated through porous sedimentary strata, dissolving the initial carbonate crystals and precipitating metallic copper into the exact structural molds left behind.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.