Pyrrhotite with Chalcopyrite

specimen number:
2133223

location:
Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada

description:
A vein of massive pyrrhotite cutting across a massive chalcopyrite matrix. Interesting locality example. The specimen comes with several previous labels, one of these noting an acquisition date in 1953.

Rouyn-Noranda, located in the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region of Quebec, Canada, is a historic mining hub known as the "Copper Capital." Geologically, it sits within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, one of the world's largest and most productive archean-aged volcanic-sedimentary sequences. The area is characterized by volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits and orogenic gold systems formed billions of years ago. Historically, the city was established following the 1922 discovery of the Horne Mine by Edmund Horne, which led to the founding of Noranda Mines. For over a century, the district has been a major producer of copper, gold, silver, and zinc, with the massive Horne Smelter remaining a focal point of industrial activity and metallurgical innovation in North America today.

Ward's Natural Science Establishment, based in Rochester, New York, is a legendary institution in the world of scientific education and mineralogy. Founded in 1862 by Henry Augustus Ward, it began as a supplier of natural history specimens to museums and universities, playing a crucial role in the development of science departments across the United States. Geologically and mineralogically, Ward's became famous for its meticulously curated "Ward's Collections," which provided standardized sets of minerals, rocks, and fossils for study. The company was responsible for distributing some of the finest mineral specimens from worldwide localities during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, it continues to operate as a leading provider of laboratory equipment and biological, geological, and physical science materials, maintaining its long-standing legacy of bringing the natural world into the classroom.

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