Chalcopyrite on Calcite (classic material)

Item Description

A classic old-time specimen from the famed French Creek Mines in Pennsylvania featuring brassy iridescent Chalcopyrite crystals sitting on massive Calcite, which ranges in color from chalky white to a muted green hue due to inclusions of what is likely Actinolite. The Chalcopyrite crystals are mostly contacted, but there are a few crystals faces that can be seen in places. A nice reference specimen from this incredibly well-known locality, where mining dates back to 1717 according to the entry on mindat.org.
From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #20584CL. Chet was born 1947 in started collecting minerals circa 1957. He worked briefly as a drill runner at the famous Sterling Mine, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey and from 1987 to 1990 he helped convert the mine into a public access mining museum. He has held the role of treasurer, vice president and president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS), and has been a board member and vice president of the Franklin Mineral Museum. The rare copper arsenate, Lemanskiite was named in his honor in 1999.