CUPRITE



Cuprite, a copper oxide mineral, was first reported from Franklin by Seymour (1868) and Palache (1935). Frondel (1972) and Cook (1973) reported occurrences at Franklin and Sterling Hill, but cuprite is a rare mineral locally. No physical or chemical data have been obtained. Cuprite occurs as veins, but occurs most commonly as thin films or druses of microscopic crystals and as thin films.
At Franklin, dark red cuprite occurs as small 0.2 mm crystals and films associated with copper and as films within altered micas. Some Franklin cuprite likely exists unrecognized on oxidized copper specimens. The variety chalcotrichite was reported by Cook (1973) to be associated with azurite and aurichalcite in a dolomite vein.
At Sterling Hill, cuprite was reported by Cook (1973) as a 2-12 mm vein, associated with cuproan adamite, chrysocolla, willemite, and franklinite. (Dunn, 1995)

 Location Found: Franklin and Ogdensburg
     
 
     
 Formula: Cu2O
 Essential Elements: Copper, Oxygen
 All Elements in Formula: Copper, Oxygen
     
 IMA Status: Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
     
     
 To find out more about this mineral at minDat's website, follow this link   Cuprite

     
 References:
Dunn, Pete J. (1995). Franklin and Sterling Hill New Jersey: the world's most magnificent mineral deposits. Franklin, NJ.: The Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society. p.591

Frondel, Clifford (1972). The minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, a checklist. NY.: John Willey & Sons. p.52
The Picking Table References
 PT Issue and PageDescription / Comment
View IssueV. 13, No. 1 - February 1972, pg. 7Franklin Mineral Notes - Chalcotrichite a variety of Cuprite
     
Images
     
Cuprite, azurite, franklinite and calcite from the Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ
Cuprite (red), azurite (blue), franklinite (black) and calcite (white) from the Sterling Hill Mine, Ogdensburg, NJ. Field of view 9/16" (14mm). From the collection of Mark Dahlman, photo by WP.






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