Chalcopyrite with Barite on Quartz (ex Gary Weaver Collection)

Item Description

The Patch Mine near Central City in Colorado is one of the most classic localities on the front range. Gilpin County is the site of the first discovery of Gold in Colorado, and the Patch Mine (often referred to as the Glory Hole Mine) is a still standing landmark just southwest of Central City. This features dark brassy colored crystals of Chalcopyrite measuring up to 4 mm associated with a few white bladed Barite crystals sitting on slightly iron-stained Chlorite-included Quartz crystals. The Chlorite inside the Quartz gives it a slightly green hue. Colorado collectors will tell you that obtaining specimens from Gilpin County is very difficult because the vast majority of the mining took place before WWII and good quality pieces simply are not around. A nice little specimen of this hard to find material. If you collect Colorado minerals, don't miss out on this one. 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/