Cuprite with Copper

specimen number:
8911179

location:
Rubtsovsk Mine, Rubtsovsky, Altai Krai, Russia

description:
Lustrous sharp octahedral deep red crystals of cuprite to 1.2 cm in size very rich across matrix. This is crystallized all around, some damage present on the backside of the piece only. Minor native copper is present. Some matrix attached throughout as seen. The specimen comes with a previous label from the Alton collection.

The Rubtsovsk Mine, located in the Altai Krai region of southwestern Siberia, Russia, is part of the metal-rich Rudny Altai polymetallic belt. Geologically, the deposit sits within complex Paleozoic volcanic and sedimentary sequences where hydrothermal activity and extensive supergene oxidation created rich zones of secondary mineralization. Mineralogically, it is particularly famous for its exceptional, razor-sharp octahedral crystals of cuprite, often accompanied by native silver, native copper, and rare halide species like miersite.

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