Copper included in Calcite (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan was the source of some of the finest crystals of Copper ever found in the world. One of the well-known examples of this material are the beautiful crystals of Calcite which are included with Native Copper. This thumbnail sized specimen is a fine, sharp, translucent to gemmy, lustrous, copper-tinted Calcite scalenohedron free of matrix. This was probably collected between 70-100 years ago. I love the fact that the metallic rosy-pinkish color of the Copper inclusions can be seen floating inside the Calcite, which is a nice contrast against the aged patina you'll see on Copper that has been exposed to the air. For the most part, the piece is in good shape, although minor roughness can be seen on spot. Beautiful, classic and fairly uncommon on the market nowadays. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #12783CL. 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.