Bornite

Well crystallised Bornite is not common, especially from Cornwall, making this cabinet specimen a fine example from Carn Brea mine at Pool.  This mine lay a little north of Carn Brea, a granite offshoot of the Carnmenellis granite, close by the main railway line and A30 Camborne-Redruth road.  The iron-stained granitic matrix is richly coated with bright metallic Bornite crystals, lining its vuggy upper surface.  The crystals appear almost cubic with interpenetrant growth and are coloured pinchbeck-bronze grading to tarnished bluish black.  This fine specimen comes with an impressive 10.6 x 7.8 cm German printed and handwritten label and glued to the base are no less than five paper catalogue labels (all neat and tidy) plus an inked-on number.  A superb old-time specimen.