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Chalcopyrite

Name: Chalcopyrite
SKU: 33378-PT
Availability: OutOfStock

33378-PT Category: _Archives –specimens pending sale or deletion

H-W (Myra Falls) Mine, Buttle Lake, Vancouver Island, Alberni Mining Div., British Columbia

Canada

Dimensions: 12.2x9.1x7.4 cm

Largest crystal size: 6 mm

Price: CA

This striking specimen features metallic, brassy to colourfully iridescent, sharp chalcopyrite crystals accompanied by some white quartz on a large piece of massive chalcopyrite. The material comes from the Myra Falls Mine, a major copper-producing site now operating as a mining museum. Situated approximately 80 km southwest of Campbell River, British Columbia, at the south end of Buttle Lake in Strathcona-Westmin Provincial Park, this mine is unique as the only one in British Columbia located within a provincial park.

The Myra Falls deposit is a volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit within the Insular Belt of the Canadian Cordillera. Mining began in 1966 as an open-pit operation but quickly transitioned to underground methods. Despite its rich mineral history, production has been intermittent due to fluctuating metal prices, ceasing temporarily in late 2001 and again in 2015 for economic reasons.

Chalcopyrite specimens from Myra Falls are uncommon and his particular specimen exemplifies the site's mineral wealth.

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This specimen comes from the collection of Dr. Peter Tarassoff, a prominent figure in mineralogy, particularly known for his collecting work at Mont Saint-Hilaire (MSH). His diligent collecting and examination efforts have led him to identify at least 35 species and discover 12 new species, not only at MSH but also at other alkaline localities. Dubbed the "Dean" of Mont Saint-Hilaire collectors, Peter was honoured with the naming of the new species petarasite in 1980. He has authored or co-authored numerous mineralogical articles and has been a member of the Mineralogical Association of Canada since 1964. Additionally, Peter has volunteered at the Redpath Museum for the past 21 years, where he was formally appointed the Honorary Curator of Mineralogy. In recognition of his significant contributions to mineralogy, Peter was awarded the 2017 Pinch Medal by the Mineralogical Association of Canada.

Peter's dedication to systematic collecting, curating his collection, and maintaining an archive of detailed historical and scientific information has greatly benefited the mineral sciences community both in Canada and globally. All specimens from this collection come with the original P. Tarassoff collection label.

Note: All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD). International customers are charged in CAD, exchange rate is calculated automatically by your bank/paypal upon checkout.

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