Home > American Localities – September 25 > MS0782 Melonite replacing Calaverite
Melonite replacing Calaverite - Sold
- Cresson mine
- Cripple Creek
- Teller County
- Colorado
- U.S.A.
- 4.1 by 3.6 by 1.9 cm – Miniature specimen (fits into a 5 cm cube)
Melonite is a nickel telluride mineral known to replace the gold telluride calaverite. Both of those minerals take there named from their type localities in California (Genth, 1868). This piece is an extraordinary example of pinkish metallic melonite replacing very large crystals of brassy calaverite. While large calaverite crystals are rare, finding sharp replacements by melonite is yet rarer. This specimen was part of the personal collection of Ralph Merrill, proprietor of the prolific mail order business Minerals Unlimited.
