Fluorite with Chalcopyrite (restored)

specimen number:
2242029

location:
Denton Mine, Hardin Co., Illinois, USA

description:
Gorgeous large color zoned lustrous and gemmy crystal grouping of fluorite. Small crystals of chalcopyrite are scattered throughout as inclusions. That is a cleavage face across the lower front of the piece. The specimen has a couple of areas of restoration along the edges and corners of the main crystal. These are not obvious without the use of ultraviolet light. Beautiful when backlit as shown in the picture and video.

The Denton Mine, located in the Harris Creek District of Hardin County, Illinois, was a major producer within the world-renowned Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District. Geologically, the mine exploited a series of high-grade bedding-replacement and vein deposits hosted within Mississippian-aged limestones, where hydrothermal fluids deposited minerals along complex fault systems. The site is legendary for producing exceptional fluorite specimens, often occurring as sharp, transparent cubic crystals in colors ranging from deep purple and lavender to clear and yellow, frequently found in association with sphalerite, galena, and chalcopyrite. Historically, the Denton Mine was developed by the Ozark-Mahoning Company, with construction beginning in the late 1970s and full-scale industrial production commencing in 1980. The mine served as a critical source of acid-grade fluorspar for the chemical and steel industries for over a decade. Due to shifting global market conditions and increased competition, the mine ceased its primary operations in early 1994.

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