Malachite pseudomorph after Cuprite (old classic) (ex Dr. Barratt Phillips Collection)

Item Description

When it comes to European mining history, the famous and historic Copper mines of Chessy, France are certainly in the upper ranks. This famous region is world-renowned for producing some of the first recorded secondary copper minerals in Europe. Not only has the area been mined for copper since the Middle Ages (mining stopped in 1875), but it's actually the type locality for Azurite! Arguably the most well-known and sought after material from Chessy are the gorgeous pseudomorphs of Malachite replacing Cuprite. Here we have a single, sharp, octahedral crystal of Cuprite with dodecahedral modifications which has altered on the surface to green Malachite. The piece is not 100% pristine, but it's actually beneficial because you can look on the back and see the preexisting dark blood-red Cuprite INSIDE which has not yet altered to Malachite. This material came out in the 1800s and are the epitome of classics in the mineral world. From the pseudomorph collection of Dr. Barratt Phillips.