Calcite

specimen number:
8311195

location:
Tonglushan Mine, Daye Co., Hubei, China

description:

A perfect glassy gemmy colorless to red complex calcite crystal sitting up perfectly from a small amount of matrix. This is in good condition all around. A fine miniature.

The Tonglushan Mine, located in Hubei Province, China, is a historic copper mining site with origins dating back more than two thousand years to ancient Chinese mining activity. Early operations involved the extraction and smelting of copper from skarn type deposits formed at the contact between intrusive rocks and limestone. Archaeological studies at Tonglushan have revealed extensive ancient workings, including shafts, tunnels, and smelting remains, demonstrating a high level of technical development for the time. Modern mining has continued in the area using updated methods to extract copper and associated metals from the same general deposit. The combination of ancient and modern activity makes Tonglushan an important site for both the history of mining and the study of early metallurgical practices.

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