Gypsum with Copper inclusions (superb specimen)

Item Description

The famous Gypsum specimen with Copper inclusions from the Mission Mine, about forty miles southwest of Tucson are some of the most iconic mineral specimens from Arizona. They are not only distinctive, but to the best of my knowledge, singular in the mineral world in terms of their form and appearance. I can't remember seeing Gypsum crystals like this included with Copper from any other world locality. This majestic and robust large cabinet display specimen is one of the finest examples of the material that we've ever had to offer in the auctions. First off, it's important to stress that the piece features TERMINATED crystals of Gypsum, which is rarely the case for this material. Often we only see crystal sections or "chunks" of Gypsum, but this one feature pronounced terminations, making it eminently more desirable. With a bit of backlighting, you can see that there are portions of the colorless crystals which are WATER CLEAR, and as you peer inside, you will see brilliant reddish to brown dendritic growths of Native Copper floating within! Now the piece is not 100% pristine, which can be said about virtually all of these specimens, and while there is some bruising, it's still a remarkably large, well-crystallized and highly displayable example of this famous and now incredibly hard to find material. If you collect minerals of Arizona or "inclusion" minerals, this piece is a must have, as it's one of the largest and most eye-catching examples we've ever had to offer. You would be hard pressed to find another of its calibre on the market today. Priced in the inventory at $4,500.