Chalcocite with Calcite

Item Description

Please note: This specimen was labeled as Tennantite in Kurt's collection catalogue, but I see no sign of isometric crystallization, and even before I looked up the information, I was certain this was a Chalcocite. With that said, it's one of the richest Chalcocites I've seen from the locality as there are dozens of well-formed, dark grey-black metallic crystals measuring up to 1.2 cm long associated with little scalenohedral white Calcite crystals. Virtually every Chalcocite is in fine condition, save the peripheral edges where the piece was removed from the pocket wall. An impressive robust cabinet sized piece of this now notably hard to find material, which was mined in the 1990s for a brief time. Valued $1,500.
From the collection of Kurt Hefendehl (#427 Ru), a well-known German collector all over Europe with worldwide contacts to dealers and collectors. He started collecting seriously at the age of 14 and his great and varied worldwide collection reached over 6000 pieces. He was very active mineralogically until shortly before his passing in 2020 at the age of 82. Considering his collection had a large number of pieces, it still had an unusually high standard of quality from most worldwide localities. He particularly specialized in all classics as well as minerals of the Black Forest, where he spent much time collecting. His Black Forest and German subcollections went to his good friend Wolfgang Wendel. We at The Arkenstone have the privilege of offering the remainder of this great worldwide collection for the foreseeable future through our various platforms.