{"product_id":"chalcopyrite-teaching-student-specimens-from-a-mineralized-vein-unit-of-5-student-specimens","title":"chalcopyrite - larger student specimens from a skarn in Mexico's Sierra Madre - Unit of 5 student specimens","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #9e0202;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003echalcopyrite   CuFeS\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003csub\u003e2  \u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(156, 7, 7);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eEl Bolívar Mine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(156, 7, 7);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePiedras Verdes District, municipality of Uruque, Chihuahua, Mexico\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(156, 7, 7);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Bolívar Mine is an historic underground copper-zinc mine, working a skarn formed during contact metamorphism of carbonate-bearing rocks. Located in an area of northwestern Mexico's Sierra Madre that has been mined and prospected for polymetallic copper-zinc-lead-silver-and gold deposits since the Spanish colonial period, it produced\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003earound three million tons of ore between 1980 and 2000. The mine is currently owned and operated by Sierra Metals Inc. It is shown in the field photo.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(156, 7, 7);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eChalcopyrite is the primary sulfide ore of copper. The brassy yellow color, hardness 3.5-4, and greenish gray streak distinguish it from pyrite, hardness 6-6.5, which is paler, cannot be scratched by a nail and which has a brownish black streak.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(156, 7, 7);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e As chalcopyrite weathers, it becomes a dull gray-green. If treated with  a combination of sulfuric and phosphoric acids, it oxidizes to form an iridescent blue and purple surface, making it look like bornite,  Cu\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003csub\u003e5\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eFeS\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003csub\u003e4\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e. It is then sold as \"peacock ore,\" which was the common name for bornite, with its natural purplish oxidized surface. Untreated chalcopyrite should look brassy, though it may naturally develop a slight tarnish. In Germany in the 1960s, chalcopyrite was oxidized by being cooked in a solution of detergents containing perborate, such as Persil, and vinegar. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(156, 7, 7);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe prefer that students see chalcopyrite as it comes from the mine. These specimens are natural.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(156, 7, 7);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eBoth chalcopyrite and bornite are found in oxidized hydrothermal veins, but bornite occurs in an enriched zone just below the water table, while chalcopyrite is a massive sulfide of the original vein.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cb style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eThe photo is representative of what we ship. The pencil is 5 1\/2\" long, for scale.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p4\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff0000;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMaking multiple purchases?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e Click on the \"combine shipping\" button in the shopping cart. We'll send an invoice with combined shipping. A link in that invoice will bring you back to checkout, no hassle.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\" style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eShipping:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e By Priority Mail or USPS Ground Advantage, whichever is cheaper, unless we find a better rate. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eClick \u0026gt; \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/geologicalspecimensupply.com\/pages\/about-shipping?step=contact_information\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #0000ff;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ehere\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026lt;\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003efor shipping rates. Use back button to return to this page.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Geological Specimen Supply","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42737879547991,"sku":null,"price":12.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/7650\/files\/chalcopyriteChihlgssetof5.jpg?v=1777533190","url":"https:\/\/geologicalspecimensupply.com\/products\/chalcopyrite-teaching-student-specimens-from-a-mineralized-vein-unit-of-5-student-specimens","provider":"Geological Specimen Supply","version":"1.0","type":"link"}