Chalcocite with Covellite, Pyrite

specimen number:
2102286

location:
Butte, Silver Bow Co., Montana, USA

description:
Brilliant lustrous peacock blue bladed crystallized covellite embedded in matrix with pyrite. Choice blocky semi lustrous crystals of chalcocite are present as well. A neat combination piece.This is classic material for this locality.

The Butte District in Silver Bow County, Montana, famously known as the "Richest Hill on Earth," represents one of the most prolific mining centers in history. Geologically, the area is defined by a massive hydrothermal vein system hosted within the Boulder Batholith, where deep-seated copper-rich fluids deposited minerals in complex fractures and fault zones. Among its mineralogical treasures, Butte is world-renowned for covellite, a copper sulfide that occurs here in exceptional quality, characterized by its deep indigo-blue color, sub-metallic luster, and rare hexagonal crystalline plates found in the secondary enrichment zones of the district's mines. Historically, mining began with gold placer claims in 1864, followed by silver, but transitioned to large-scale industrial copper extraction in the 1880s as the demand for electricity surged. Major underground quarrying and shaft mining operations were dominated by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company throughout the early to mid-20th century. While most underground mining ceased by the mid-1970s in favor of open-pit methods like the Berkeley Pit, the legacy of Butte remains unparalleled in the United States for its vast mineral diversity and its historical role as a global copper powerhouse.

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