Cuprite in Calcite

specimen number:
1052545

location:
Bisbee, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA

description:
Sparkling crystals of calcite across the top of this matrix, many of them included with red cuprite. Damage is present as seen. This is a neat reference quality historical specimen for this famous locality. This piece dates to the very early 20th century. Note the $2.50 set price tag on the specimen from over 115 years ago.

The Bisbee mining district, located in the Mule Mountains of Cochise County, Arizona, is one of the most significant copper-producing regions in American history. Geologically, the area is characterized by the Warren District, where massive sulfide ore bodies formed through the replacement of Paleozoic-aged limestones, particularly the Escabrosa Limestone, by hydrothermal fluids associated with a Jurassic-aged igneous intrusion known as the Sacramento Hill porphyry. Historically, mining began in 1877 following the discovery of copper by a scouting party, leading to the establishment of the legendary Copper Queen Mine. The district saw its primary period of operation from the late 1880s through the mid-20th century, with the transition from deep underground mining to large-scale open-pit mining at the Lavender Pit in the 1950s. Operations finally concluded in 1975 after nearly a century of continuous production that yielded billions of pounds of copper, along with substantial amounts of gold, silver, and lead. Beyond its industrial output, Bisbee is world-renowned for its exceptional secondary copper minerals, especially its vibrant blue azurite and green malachite specimens, which remain benchmarks for the species in global mineralogy.

Lazard Cahn was one of the most influential American mineral dealers and crystallographers of the early 20th century, basing much of his significant work in Colorado Springs. Born in 1865, Cahn was renowned for his extraordinary eye for quality and his deep scientific understanding of crystal morphology. He acted as a vital bridge between the rugged world of field prospecting and the refined halls of academia and major museums. Cahn is perhaps best known for his meticulous study of micromounts and his role in providing elite specimens to legendary collectors like Washington Roebling and institutions such as the Smithsonian. His expertise was so highly regarded that the rare calcium borate arsenate mineral "cahnite" was named in his honor in 1927. Throughout the first half of the 1900s, Cahn maintained a sophisticated business that elevated the status of mineral collecting from a mere hobby to a disciplined scientific pursuit.

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