Dolomite with Iridescent Chalcopyrite

Description

A compact display of white dolomite and richly coloured chalcopyrite. Bright gold surfaces reveal flashes of purple and pink as the specimen turns in the light.

This compact specimen brings together white dolomite and richly coloured chalcopyrite in a striking display. One side features a prominent pale crystal face surrounded by smaller, blocky white crystals. Turn the piece and the chalcopyrite takes centre stage, with bright gold surfaces and flashes of purple and pink that catch the light from different angles.

From the Zhongtiaoshan ore field, Jiang County, Yuncheng, Shanxi, China, it is a characterful addition to a thumbnail mineral collection. It is presented on a 3 cm bevelled glass stand and photographed with its display box.

The recorded Pyrite contributes a metallic element to the association. Light reflects from its faces differently to the non-metallic growth around it, allowing small metallic areas to stand out within the specimen. That contrast is a useful part of the display and gives the piece interest for collectors of mixed mineral associations, as well as the principal species.

Dolomite is a calcium-magnesium carbonate mineral. It can form rhombohedral crystals and curved or saddle-like aggregates, as well as occurring in substantial rock masses. Collector specimens show how a familiar rock-forming mineral can also develop attractive crystallised growth, especially when its faces remain visible within a natural association.

Pale Dolomite can provide a quiet background for darker or more metallic accompanying minerals, but its own shapes deserve attention. Repeated faces, small changes in orientation and closely packed growth create depth across the surface. The way the minerals are arranged on this piece is part of its interest: an association brings together different habits and lustres within one natural specimen.

The recorded origin is Zhongtiaoshan ore field, Jiang County, Yuncheng, Shanxi, China. Within a collection of Dolomite specimens, this locality gives the piece a geographical identity alongside its particular crystal habit and natural setting.

The specimen measures 4 × 4 × 2 cm. Its compact presentation makes it suitable for a boxed mineral collection, where the individual crystals and their association can be appreciated at close range.

Care: Handle the stand rather than the crystals, and keep the specimen dry and protected from knocks.