Chalcopyrite (rare locality specimen) (ex Bill Pinch Collection)

Item Description

The Bou Nahas Mine is a lesser known copper deposit in the Alnif Cercle of Morocco, which has produced what are the best known and finest quality Chalcopyrite specimens from this country. This specimen is a beautiful small cabinet featuring bright golden, metallic crystals of Chalcopyrite measuring up to 1.8 cm sitting on a layer of sugary white Quartz on matrix. The bright color and luster of the Chalcopyrite crystals is excellent and the contrast beautifully against the Quartz. Upon close inspection, one can see that although the Chalcopyrite crystals are not what could be called "textbook", they are actually fully crystallized, showing tiny faces all over. Some of the crystals are somewhat skeletal and / or "etched", but they still have a high metallic reflectiveness on the surface. If you collect sulfides or minerals of Morocco, this is a must have due to the rare locality. From the collection of Bill Pinch (1940 - 2017) of Rochester, New York. Bill was one of the most accomplished mineral collectors in the world, along with being a noted amateur mineralogist. He had a tremendous knowledge of rare species, especially minerals of Tsumeb, and famously owned the well-known specimen of Andyrobertsite on the cover of the Mineralogical Record. The halide Pinchite was named in his honor, as well as the Pinch Medal, which is issued by the Mineralogical Association of Canada for contributions to the advancement of mineralogy by members of the collector-dealer (non-professional) community.