Cuprite (var: Chalcotrichite) (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

A rarely seen and highly desirable specimen from arguably the most important mine (in terms of fine quality specimen) from one of the most important copper producing areas in Arizona. Mineral specimens from the Copper Queen Mine are not only highly sought after by collectors, they can also represent some of the best examples of their respective species from any Arizona locality. This cabinet sized specimen features hundreds of brilliant red to raspberry red to cochineal red Cuprite, some of which are plush-like aggregates composed of hair-like crystals of the variety Chalcotrichite sitting on a dense layered oxidized matrix. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #21014CL, and the catalogue entry for the piece states that it was obtained from the Rocksmiths by way of the Colorado State Museum, in Denver, from the Frankie Dee Hosea collection (#30033). 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.