Bismuthinite

Fowey Consols, close to St Blazey and north east of St Austell, was one of the most important copper mines in Cornwall; rich in copper and tin veins and younger bismuth-cobalt-nickel-uranium veins. This is a fine cabinet specimen of the bismuth sulphide Bismuthinite, with metallic acicular crystals lining all cavities in a highly vuggy Quartz veinstone matrix. The vugs also contain brassy Chalcopyrite and green Chlorite. The matrix appears to have undergone intense natural chemical erosion, a characteristic of such Fowey Consols material. Sooty, dark grey to tarnished metallic gunmetal grey Bismuthinite needles estimated to average about 5 mm long although many far exceed this, pervade almost every vug.