Tennantite Subgroup on Quartz

Item Description

A hard to find piece of these fine quality crystallized Tennantites from any locality in the western hemisphere. I will say that Tennantite is no longer a singular species, and is now defined as the Tennantite Subgroup which includes all the species Tennantite-(Cd), Tennantite-(Cu), Tennantite-(Fe), Tennantite-(Hg), Tennantite-(Ni), and Tennantite-(Zn). I can't say for certain which species is actually present on this specimen, so we're leaving it simply as Tennantite. This is a very good quality and showy small cabinet specimen featuring sharp, well-formed, modified (cube / dodecahedron) crystals of Tennantite on white Quartz matrix. Additional minor sulfides (Chalcopyrite and Sphalerite) can be seen on the edge of the specimen. The largest Tennantite crystal measures 8 mm across. Worth picking up from this noted copper producer in central Mexico.
From the collection of the recently deceased Alvaro Lucio, arguably the most well-known and accomplished mineral dealer and collector in Brazil. Alvaro graduated with a degree in civil engineering, mining and metallurgy from the Escola de Minas de Ouro Preto in 1949. He began his PhD in the United States and completed it at the Federal University of Minas Gerais. He worked as a professor of extractive metallurgy at UFMG, and also as a technical consultant for several companies in the sector. He was the author of several works, published in books and magazines around the world. He received several honors for his contribution to the development of metallurgy and the introduction of metallurgical physical chemistry in Brazil. His knowledge, solicitousness and enthusiasm will be greatly missed in the mineral world.