A rich, crudely crystallised vuggy and porous mass of Native Copper is richly pervaded with octahedral Cuprite crystals, many showing complex modifications. This old-time small cabinet specimen is from one of Cornwall's most famous mines, Wheal Unity in the parish of Gwennap, a little to the east of Redruth. This specimen comes with a former collector's label and an Arnold Fisher Minerals stock label. A thin plate of fragmented Quartz veinstone remains attached to the base. The Native Copper has a uniform matt reddish chocolate brown patina whereas the Cuprite crystals are opaque maroon black. Many of these will be translucent red if correctly backlit, but this is difficult to achieve. A good example of Native Copper with Cuprite from Wheal Unity, a mine that worked the same wonderfully mineralised lode as Wheal Gorland.
