Arsenopyrite with Sphalerite and Chalcopyrite (ex Paul Zerfass Collectio)

Item Description

Panasqueira is one of the more classic "modern" European localities. This area produced some amazing specimens about 40 years ago, and actually dates back over a century to 1896. Amazingly it's still active today! It is certainly one of the most distinctive localities in the world and it has produced some amazing specimens, including some of the most beautiful Arsenopyrites in the world. This piece features several razor sharp, lustrous, metallic, silvery white, prismatic crystal groups of Arsenopyrite which are associated with black Sphalerite and golden Chalcopyrite to create a beautiful sulfide association specimen. A small purple Fluorite can be seen on the piece as well. The largest Arsenopyrite measures 1.7 cm, and the largest Chalcopyrite measures 1.7 cm across The piece is in great shape, and is an aesthetic display piece from this well-known mining district. The piece dates from the 1970s. From the collection of the long time, beloved, well-known French field collector, Paul Zerfass (Collection #465). Zerfass built this worldwide collection over nearly 50 years, many of which were personally collected. A biography featuring specimens from his collection (along with his face on the cover) is in the May - June 2017 issue of French mineral magazine, Le Regne Mineral. We have a .pdf copy of the article for anybody interested in reading it (though it's mostly in French). Just drop us a line and know that you'd like to have a copy.