Cuprite

specimen number:
2262001

location:
Bisbee, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA

description:
A wonderful Arizona classic, deep red octahedral semi lustrous crystals of cuprite averaging 0.4 cm in size in a cluster with crystalline native copper. Crystallized completely all around and in good condition. The specimen comes with an antique label from Ward's Natural Science Establishment.

Bisbee, located in the Mule Mountains of Cochise County, Arizona, is one of the most famous mining districts in the American Southwest. Geologically, the area is characterized by the Warren Mining District, where mineralization is centered on the Sacramento Hill porphyry copper deposit. Massive sulfide replacement bodies and spectacular oxidized zones formed within the Paleozoic Escabrosa Limestone and Martin Formation as metal-rich fluids interacted with the carbonate host rocks. This unique geochemistry produced world-class specimens of azurite, malachite, and cuprite. Historically, the first claims were staked in 1877, leading to the formation of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company. Large-scale underground and open-pit operations, including the massive Lavender Pit, dominated the region for nearly a century. The primary era of industrial mining spanned from 1880 until 1975, when Phelps Dodge Corporation ceased major operations due to the depletion of profitable ore and falling copper prices.

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