Calaverite (rare telluride species) with Fluorite (ex Gary Weaver Collection)

Item Description

The Cripple Creek District in Colorado was one of the most prolific Telluride producing mining districts in the United States. Telluride species from this area are highly sought after by collectors, and it is well justified as some superb examples are known from the various mines in the area. This specimen is features a few sharp, splendent, tabular, striated, monoclinic crystals of the rare gold telluride species, Calaverite which have a silvery-bronzey hue and are associated with soft purple colored Fluorite on host rock matrix. The largest Calaverite crystal measures about 2 mm across. These specimens are very difficult to obtain, and considering that the majority of them were mined over 100 years ago, the only source for specimens is old collections. From the collection of Gary Weaver of Prescott, Arizona (1944-2019). Gary was an electrical engineer who worked for many years for Hughes Aircraft in California. After retiring to Prescott, Arizona in the early 2000s, Gary rekindled his childhood love of minerals, amassing a collection of roughly 2000 specimens focusing on localities in which he and his wife had lived or visited (Mexico, Peru and the western / southwestern United States). You can read Gary's obituary here https://www.dcourier.com/news/2019/apr/27/obituary-gary-richard-weaver/. Valued at $1,200.