Tetrahedrite, Galena & Chalcopyrite, etc (mid-1800s classic)

Item Description

Rich, impressive, large old-time combination plate from the historic Herodsfoot Mine, renowned for world-class "cogwheel" Bournonite specimens. The mounded plate is festooned with small, metallic gray cuboctahedral Galena crystals. Richly scattered about are desirable, classic, sharp, tetrahedral Tetrahedrite crystals, to 1.4 cm, coated with golden Chalcopyrite. The underlying matrix is also classic for the Herodsfoot Mine. Quartz has pseudomorphed a jackstraw boxwork myriad of the thin Baryte blades. Scattered modest bruising has very minimal impact to the overall high quality and richness of this fine old-timer. The mine was first worked in the early 1700s and finally closed in 1884. Specimen heyday was from the 1850s into the 1870s. See the fine 2012 Mineralogical Recored article in Vol. 43, No. 4. Needless to say, large specimens are VERY RARE and this is one of the largest survivors we have seen. Rich and hefty ore at 1340 grams or 3.0 pounds mass. Classic and rich large old-time combination material.