Cuprite altering to Malachite

Item Description

A single, sharp, dark reddish-brown octahedral crystal of Cuprite from the famous locality of Chessy. The mines at Chessy are one of the world's finest localities for Cuprite, and this is a good example of the species showing slight surface alteration to Malachite, for which the locality has been famous since the 1800s. The crystal has a slightly skeletal / hoppered indentation on the front face, but is complete all around. A few smaller accessory Cuprites can be seen on the piece as well, giving it character and three-dimensional appeal. Typically, you'll see these specimens completely altered to Malachite on the surface, so this piece would be considered rarer in terms of the fact that it only features a small amount of Malachite. These specimens are true classics, and date back to the 19th century.