Bornite with Quartz

specimen number:
2133224

location:
Dzhezkhazgan, Karaganda, Kazakhstan

description:
Crystallized metallic grouping of bornite set on matrix with minor quartz. This is in good condition. Nice miniature for the species.

The Dzhezkhazgan mining district, located in the Karaganda Region of central Kazakhstan, is home to one of the largest sediment-hosted stratiform copper deposits in the world. Geologically, the mineralization is contained within thick sequences of Carboniferous-aged sandstones and conglomerates, where metal-rich fluids precipitated sulfides in the pore spaces of the sedimentary rock. While the district is a massive producer of copper, lead, and zinc, it is internationally famous among mineralogists for its extraordinary specimens of bornite. The bornite from Dzhezkhazgan often occurs as large, well-formed, metallic crystals that frequently exhibit a stunning iridescent "peacock ore" tarnish of blues, purples, and golds. Historically, industrial mining began in the early 20th century and accelerated under Soviet administration in the 1930s, leading to the development of massive underground and open-pit operations. Today, the district remains a critical industrial asset for Kazakhstan, continuing to provide both large-scale ore for smelting and some of the finest crystallized bornite and chalcocite specimens ever found.

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