17PE16 Quartz, Chalcopyrite, Tetrahedrite
Julcani Dist., Angaraes Prov., Huancavelica Prov., Peru
7.6x 5.7x 5.0 cm
$435
An older piece from a Peruvian collection, this is the sort of mineralogical curveball that Julcani is apparently known for. On previous trips there was never much of anything available from the mine except for arsenopyrite, though this time there was a bit more material available, and the local dealers seemed to be particularly interested by the relatively odd combinations from this mine.
As noted at the beginning of the description, this piece is a bit older-- it is a combination of quartz and very lustrous hubnerite crystals, over which have grown clusters of tetrahedrite. As if that were not enough of a combination already, there is an epitaxial growth of chalcopyrite over some faces of the tetrahedrite, lending them an aesthetic brassy appearance.
