The cuprites from the Rubtsovskiy Mine in Russia are widely considered the best ever found. The Rubtsovskly Mine is an operating copper mine, and the oxidation zone has produced Cuprites, Azurites, native copper, silver, and iodine minerals like Miersite. I have been following the production for the last two years, to better understand how these are unique and what pieces stand out from "the crowd." About 95+% of the production have damage of some kind to a corner or edge. This is largely due to the miners who when extracting crystals from the kaolin clay zone (which protects the Cuprites), they drop them into their pockets, and they get dinged. 

This cluster of Cuprite crystals has a bright sheen.It's in good condition (one minor spot of rubbing), the back side exhibits both spongy silver and crystallized silver, which is quite unusual. The occurence of silver on cuprite is extrememly rare worldwide. 

CUPRITE8 - Cuprite w/Silver
$ 135.00 SOLD
Rubtsovsky Mine, Altai Krai, Siberia, Russia
miniature - 3.7 x 3.1 x 1.8 cm

The cuprites from the Rubtsovskiy Mine in Russia are widely considered the best ever found. The Rubtsovskly Mine is an operating copper mine, and the oxidation zone has produced Cuprites, Azurites, native copper, silver, and iodine minerals like Miersite. I have been following the production for the last two years, to better understand how these are unique and what pieces stand out from "the crowd." About 95+% of the production have damage of some kind to a corner or edge. This is largely due to the miners who when extracting crystals from the kaolin clay zone (which protects the Cuprites), they drop them into their pockets, and they get dinged. 

 These shiny blocky cuprites have a good thick section of spongy silver on the back (rare occurence worldwide). It weighs 37 grams.

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(click on the pictures to enlarge)

COPPER8 - Native Copper
$ 495.00 SOLD
Rubtsovsky Mine, Altai Krai, Siberia, Russia
small cabinet - 7.9 x 5 x 3.2 cm

The Rubtsovsky mine has become well known for producing the best Cuprite crystals ever found. It has produced some fine copper crystals as well. This one is particularly unique as it has an incredible rainbow-like patina. It is one of two I have seen (out of thousands) from this mine that has such amazing colors. It braches out well and has no damage. 98 grams.

 

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(click on the pictures to enlarge)

SPESSARTINE8 - Garnet Var. Spessartine
$ 895.00 SOLD NET
Loliondo, near Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
thumbnail - 2.3 x 2.2 x 1.9 cm

This crystal has outrageous color and clarity. It came from the first wave of the find about 6 years ago, and this quality was not equaled later in the production. It has a distinct deep orange color. It demonstrates the crystal form well with sharp defined faces. It has some micro chipping, but you really have to look for it. It weighs 14.2 grams.

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