Covellite with Pyrite
specimen number:
2102285
location:
Leonard Mine, Butte, Montana, USA
description: The Leonard Mine, situated in the Butte District of Silver Bow County, Montana, is historically one of the most significant operations on the "Richest Hill on Earth." Geologically, the deposit is part of a massive hydrothermal vein system hosted within the Boulder Batholith, where copper-rich fluids deposited minerals in complex fractures and fault zones. The mine is world-famous for its exceptional specimens of covellite, a copper sulfide mineral that occurs here as thick, massive plates and rare, sharp hexagonal crystals possessing a striking deep indigo-blue color and a brilliant sub-metallic luster. Historically, the Leonard shaft was sunk in the late 1800s and became a cornerstone of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company's portfolio. The mine operated extensively through the early to mid-20th century, reaching depths of over 3,000 feet before large-scale underground quarrying and traditional mining transitioned to other areas of the district. Commercial operations at the Leonard ceased around 1958, though the site remains a legendary name in mineralogy for the unique crystalline habits and intense color of the covellite it produced.
Brilliant lustrous peacock blue bladed crystallized covellite embedded in matrix with pyrite. This is classic material for this locality.
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