Chalcopyrite

This thumbnail specimen consists of sharp chalcopyrite, a bit of an oddity for the mine. They have a good brassy metallic lustre and slight iridescence. Most likely collected in the 90s, the Nanisivik Mine, located in the company town of Nanisivik, Nunavut, was a zinc-lead mine situated 750 km (470 mi) north of the Arctic Circle on Baffin Island. The mine opened on October 15, 1976, and was one of the most northerly mines in the world. Sphalerite was the primary ore extracted, but the mine also gained fame for its unique mineral specimens. The mine was permanently closed in September 2002 due to low metal prices and declining resources. Despite its closure, the Nanisivik Mine remains renowned among collectors for the exceptional and distinctive mineral specimens it produced, such as this little guy.