Copper with Cuprite (rare locality specimen)

Item Description

A showy and sculptural specimen of Copper coated with rich reddish-brown Cuprite from the superlarge open pit Chengmenshan Mine in Jiangxi, China. The Copper/Cuprite has formed in a semi-arborescent flowing group, which is partially intergrown with contrasting brownish-yellow clay-like matrix. There are spots of an unknown light greenish-blue mineral on the piece, possibly Malachite, but it hasn't been analyzed. Chet's collection catalogue has a "?" marked for this mineral on the specimen entry, so it's a mystery for now. Nonetheless, the piece is very colorful and contrasting hues makes for a very eye-catching presentation. You almost never see Chengmenshan Coppers on the market, and this particular piece was imported by the Rocksmiths in 2003, so it's nearly 20 years old at this point. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #21007CL. Chet's catalogue mentions that this piece was "A former Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow, specimen (no label) sold at the Munich show by the Curator." 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.