Cuprite with Copper

specimen number:
2262013

location:
Chessy, Villefranche-sur-Saone, Rhone, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France

description:
Classic French specimen with deep red octahedral crystals of semi lustrous cuprite measuring to 0.3 cm in size across the top of a copper matrix. In good condition with minimal micro-damage present. The specimen comes with a previous data card as shown at the end of the video. Choice European classic thumbnail specimen.

The Chessy-les-Mines district, located near Lyon in the Rhone department of France, is a world-renowned mineral locality famous for its exceptional copper carbonates. Geologically, the deposit is a volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VMS) system associated with Devonian-aged volcanic activity. The primary ore bodies consisted of pyrite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite, but the site is most celebrated for its remarkable secondary oxidation zone. This zone produced the famous "chessylite" (a local name for azurite) and cuprite crystals, often found as sharp octahedrons coated in malachite. Historically, mining at Chessy dates back to Roman times, but the most significant industrial period occurred between the mid-1700s and the mid-1800s. The mines were major producers of copper and sulfuric acid during this era, with peak production of the iconic azurite crystals occurring in the early 1800s. Large-scale mining operations effectively ceased by 1877, though the site remains a legendary locality for mineralogists due to the unique color and quality of the specimens recovered from its historic tunnels.

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