Calcite included with Copper (ex Chet Lemanski Collection)

Item Description

Here we have a fine example of the famous Calcites included with Copper from one of the most historic and classic mining districts in the United States. This cabinet sized specimen features many sharp, well-formed, scalenohedral crystals of Calcite measuring up to 1.7 cm which have a bright metallic pinkish hue due to Native Copper inclusions. A light "dusting" of beautiful mint green Malachite can be seen all over the piece, creating a fantastic color contrast to the Calcite crystals. A few crystals are contacted, but many of them are completely undamaged. Under magnification, you can see minor pistachio green Epidote, along with some Quartz crystals - one of which is included with Copper - along with an unidentified micro blue minerals. These pieces are becoming more and more difficult to find on the market today, and this is a very nice display specimen of this highly sought after material from Michigan. Valued at $1200. From the collection of Chester ("Chet") S. Lemanski Jr. of Browns Mills, New Jersey (https://www.mindat.org/user-461.html). Collection #10808CL. Chet's catalogue states that this piece is "A former Seaman Mineralogical Museum, Michigan specimen traded to the Sterling Hill Mining Museum and donated by them for the auction." Chet was born 1947 in started collecting minerals circa 1957. He worked briefly as a drill runner at the famous Sterling Mine, in Ogdensburg, New Jersey and from 1987 to 1990 he helped convert the mine into a public access mining museum. He has held the role of treasurer, vice president and president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS), and has been a board member and vice president of the Franklin Mineral Museum. The rare copper arsenate, Lemanskiite was named in his honor in 1999.