Chalcocite

Fine specimens of Chalcocite were found in the mines around the Cornish mining town of Redruth and was initially named Redruthite.  This lovely miniature displays perfectly formed hexagonal platy crystals of metallic black Chalcocite with bevelled edges of up to 8 mm between flats.  Almost the entire specimen is composed of Chalcocite, grading from these large down to tiny crystals and then a massive Chalcocite matrix mixed with a little granular Quartz.  The lustrous hexagonal crystals contrast beautifully against the sootier black matrix.  It is typical for early Chalcocite specimens from the Redruth mining district not to be attributed a specific mine locality; Redruth was considered good enough provenance or the mine name was deliberately withheld in the interest of the dealer.  This specimen is accompanied by two old labels; one a W.A. Roebling of Trenton, New Jersey and one a U.S. National Museum (Division of Mineralogy) from the Washington A. Roebling Collection.  Both labels bear the species name Redruthite.