Fine Minerals for Sale from Butte, Montana

SOLD

Azurite

on Malachite - #45855

Details
Data
Provenance
Resources

Locality: Pittsmont mine, Bullwhacker pit, Silver Bow Park, Butte dist., Silver Bow Co., Montana, United States
Formula: Cu₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂
Availability: Sold
Size: 8 x 5.5 x 5.5 cm - Sm Cabinet
Tagged: carbonate , copper

Fine blue rosettes across face on Malachite. Chris van Laer states that this is from the Bullwhacker pit, Silver Bow Park, which was on the Continental fault of the Pittsmont mine. Mindat # JF2-3EC.

Azurite

Formula: Cu₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Crystal Habit: Tabular, Prismatic, Stalactitic
Cleavage: Perfect, Fair, None
Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Color: azure blue, blue, light blue, dark blue
Streak: light blue
Class: Monoclinic - Prismatic
Fracture: Brittle - Conchoidal
Hardness: 3.5-4

Collection: Chris van Laer Collection

Mineralpedia: View Azurite
On Dakota Matrix: Previously Sold Azurite
On Dakota Matrix: Other Available Azurite
WebMineral: View Azurite
Mindat: View Azurite

SOLD

Betekhtinite

with Bornite & Quartz - #45876

Details
Data
Provenance
Resources

Locality: Butte dist., Silver Bow Co., Montana, United States
Formula: (Cu,Fe)₂₁Pb₂S₁₅
Availability: Sold
Size: 8 x 7 x 4 cm - Sm Cabinet
Tagged: sulfide , copper

The Betekhtinite is scarce on this specimen but very visible and can be seen as elongated steely gray prismatic crystals intimately associated with groups of tarnished Bornite groups to 8mm. The Quartz is nice and waterclear to 2cm some with included Hematite(?).

Betekhtinite

Formula: (Cu,Fe)₂₁Pb₂S₁₅
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Crystal Habit: Acicular
Cleavage: Distinct, Distinct, Distinct
Luster: Metallic
Color: brownish black
Streak: black
Class: Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal
Hardness: 3

Collection: Chris van Laer Collection

Mineralpedia: View Betekhtinite
On Dakota Matrix: Previously Sold Betekhtinite
On Dakota Matrix: Other Available Betekhtinite
WebMineral: View Betekhtinite
Mindat: View Betekhtinite

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Calcite

#45853

Details
Data
Provenance
Resources

Locality: Butte dist., Silver Bow Co., Montana, United States
Formula: CaCO₃
Availability: Sold
Size: 5.5 x 3 x 3.5 cm - Sm Cabinet
Tagged: carbonate

Elongated colorless to white nail-head Calcite crystals. This group is 3cm on another, earlier generation of Calcite.

Calcite

Formula: CaCO₃
Crystal System: Trigonal
Crystal Habit: Crystalline - Coarse, Stalactitic, Massive
Cleavage: Perfect, Perfect, Perfect
Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Color: colorless, white, pink, yellow, brown
Streak: white
Class: Trigonal - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Fracture: Brittle - Conchoidal
Hardness: 3

Collection: Chris van Laer Collection

Mineralpedia: View Calcite
On Dakota Matrix: Previously Sold Calcite
On Dakota Matrix: Other Available Calcite
WebMineral: View Calcite
Mindat: View Calcite

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Chalcocite

#45922

Details
Data
Provenance
Resources

Locality: 4400' L, Steward mine, Butte dist., Silver Bow Co., Montana, United States
Formula: Cu₂S
Availability: Sold
Size: 5.5 x 4 x 1.5 cm - Sm Cabinet
Tagged: sulfide , copper

At first glance this does not appear like much of a specimen. But upon closer examination under a scope there are literally hundreds of 1-2mm, dull gray, Chalcocite crystals, some nicely twinned.

Chalcocite

Formula: Cu₂S
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Crystal Habit: Massive, Granular, Euhedral Crystals
Cleavage: Indistinct, None, None
Luster: Metallic
Color: blue black, gray, black, black gray, steel gray
Streak: grayish black
Class: Monoclinic - Prismatic
Fracture: Conchoidal
Hardness: 2.5-3

Collection: Chris van Laer Collection

Mineralpedia: View Chalcocite
On Dakota Matrix: Previously Sold Chalcocite
On Dakota Matrix: Other Available Chalcocite
WebMineral: View Chalcocite
Mindat: View Chalcocite

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Chalcocite

with Pyrite & Tennantite - #45931

Details
Data
Provenance
Resources

Locality: Butte dist., Silver Bow Co., Montana, United States
Formula: Cu₂S
Availability: Sold
Size: 4.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm - Miniature
Tagged: sulfide , copper

The largest crystal is 9x6mm, most of the other crystals are between 1 to 3mm. All of the Chalcocite crystals are well-defined but a bit unusual as they are not your classic shape for Chalcocite. Chris van Laer was a little hesitant to call these Chalcocite. The matrix is composed of micro Pyrite with some dull black blebs of Tennantite(?).

Chalcocite

Formula: Cu₂S
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Crystal Habit: Massive, Granular, Euhedral Crystals
Cleavage: Indistinct, None, None
Luster: Metallic
Color: blue black, gray, black, black gray, steel gray
Streak: grayish black
Class: Monoclinic - Prismatic
Fracture: Conchoidal
Hardness: 2.5-3

Collection: Chris van Laer Collection

Mineralpedia: View Chalcocite
On Dakota Matrix: Previously Sold Chalcocite
On Dakota Matrix: Other Available Chalcocite
WebMineral: View Chalcocite
Mindat: View Chalcocite

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Chalcopyrite

ps after Covellite - #45844

Details
Data
Provenance
Resources

Locality: Butte dist., Silver Bow Co., Montana, United States
Formula: Cu¹⁺Fe³⁺S₂
Availability: Sold
Size: 4.5 x 4 x 1.5 cm - Miniature
Tagged: sulfide , coper

A fine group of tightly packed Covellite crystals, which according to van Laer are replaced by Chalcopyrite. The crystals are about 5-7mm but some measure out to be over 1cm. Nice, clean specimen without a knick or scratch.

Chalcopyrite

Formula: Cu¹⁺Fe³⁺S₂
Crystal System: Tetragonal
Crystal Habit: Euhedral Crystals, Striated, Druse
Cleavage: Indistinct, None, None
Luster: Metallic
Color: brass yellow, honey yellow
Streak: greenish black
Class: Tetragonal - Scalenohedral
Fracture: Brittle
Hardness: 3.5

Collection: Chris van Laer Collection

Mineralpedia: View Chalcopyrite
On Dakota Matrix: Previously Sold Chalcopyrite
On Dakota Matrix: Other Available Chalcopyrite
WebMineral: View Chalcopyrite
Mindat: View Chalcopyrite

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