Native Copper with Cuprite

The original Poldice mine was mining tin as early as 1748, becoming part of the St. Day United Mines group much later. Situated in the parish of Gwennap, now about half between the villages of St Day and Twelveheads and about 5 km (3 miles) east of Redruth. This showy cabinet specimen is a gnarled mass of branching Native Copper plates and branches with an excellent coverage of well developed Cuprite crystals and some attached, opaque, cream Quartz in various epimorphed habits. The Native Copper has a well-aged dark sooty maroon to black patina. The same can be said for the Cuprite, the crystals typically having an almost chocolaty patina but sometime hinting at maroon. A lovely example of Native Copper and Cuprite from the St. Day United Mines with a Mike Brooke Collection label.