Cuprite

specimen number:
2102141

location:
Bisbee, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA

description:

Lustrous deep red well-formed crystals of cuprite measuring to 0.5 cm in size across matrix. In good condition, this is quite choice for the species from this famous mining district.

The Bisbee mining district, located in the Mule Mountains of Cochise County, Arizona, is one of the most celebrated mineral localities in the United States. Geologically, the deposit is a massive replacement system where copper-rich hydrothermal fluids interacted with Paleozoic limestones, particularly the Escabrosa Limestone, near the intrusive Sacramento Hill porphyry stock. This process created vast bodies of copper sulfides and spectacular secondary oxidation zones rich in carbonates and oxides. Historically, mining began in 1877 following the discovery of copper and lead-silver ores, with the Copper Queen Mine becoming the flagship operation of the district. Bisbee was a major global producer of copper for nearly a century, with operations transitioning from underground shafts to the massive Lavender Pit open mine in the 1950s. The district is world-famous for producing exceptional cuprite specimens, which often occur as deep red, lustrous octahedral or cubic crystals. These cuprite crystals are frequently associated with native copper or found as the needle-like variety known as chalcotrichite, often embedded in a matrix of malachite or azurite. Major mining operations in Bisbee officially ceased in 1975, leaving behind a legacy of world-class mineral specimens and a deep industrial history.

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