Tetrahedrite, Chalcopyrite, Quartz - Casapalca, Peru

The battleship-gray, lustrous tetrahedrites immediately catch the eye with their excellent geometric sharpness. The special and charming feature of specimens from this locality is their natural association with chalcopyrite, this golden contrast perfectly breaks up the dark gray of the sulfosalt, lending the piece extraordinary visual depth. They are surrounded by star-bursts of needle quartz points that emerge like tiny, glassy ice flowers between and on top of the sulfides. These clear, crystal-clear rock crystals provide the final, aesthetic contrast between the heavy, metallic ores on this matrix specimen. 

The piece is an excellent and historically valuable showpiece that perfectly represents the complex hydrothermal geological history of the Peruvian Andes. A true highlight for any advanced systematic or aesthetic collection.