Description
Peacock Ore Chalcopyrite Bornite Crystal Mineral Specimen
This genuine Peacock Ore crystal is a carefully chosen mineral specimen, selected for its striking metallic surface colours, decorative appeal, and collectable copper sulphide character. The photograph shows the actual specimen you will receive, allowing you to view the individual shape, colour pattern, surface texture, and natural form before purchase. Full sizing can be seen in the photo.
Peacock Ore is a popular trade name used for copper sulphide mineral specimens that display vivid iridescent colours, often showing shades of purple, blue, gold, green, pink, bronze, and rainbow-like metallic tones. In this case, the specimen is acid-treated Chalcopyrite/Bornite, a recognised commercial presentation that enhances the colourful tarnish effect on the surface of the mineral. This gives the crystal its distinctive bright appearance while retaining its genuine mineral specimen identity.
Crystal Type, Mineral Species and Composition
Peacock Ore is commonly associated with two copper sulphide minerals: Chalcopyrite and Bornite. Chalcopyrite has the chemical formula CuFeS2 and is one of the most important copper ore minerals worldwide. It naturally has a brassy yellow to golden metallic appearance and can tarnish to produce colourful surface effects. Bornite has the chemical formula Cu5FeS4 and is also a copper iron sulphide mineral, often naturally showing bronze, coppery, purple, or iridescent tarnish tones.
The term Peacock Ore is widely used in the crystal and mineral trade because of the specimen’s colourful, bird-feather-like surface sheen. While natural Bornite can develop iridescent tarnish, many brightly coloured Peacock Ore specimens sold commercially are acid-treated Chalcopyrite or Chalcopyrite/Bornite material. This treatment creates the vivid, multicoloured surface that makes these specimens so attractive for display, collecting, and gifting.
Geology and Formation of Copper Sulphide Minerals
Chalcopyrite and Bornite form in a range of copper-bearing geological environments, including hydrothermal veins, igneous-related ore deposits, metamorphic settings, and massive sulphide deposits. These minerals develop when hot, mineral-rich fluids move through fractures, cavities, and host rocks, depositing copper, iron, and sulphur under suitable chemical and temperature conditions.
Copper sulphide minerals are important in geology because they are major sources of copper, a metal used extensively throughout history and modern industry. Chalcopyrite in particular is one of the world’s principal copper ore minerals. Bornite is also valued by collectors for its metallic lustre and colourful tarnish. Together, these minerals are excellent examples of ore-forming processes and the way metallic minerals can develop beautiful surface characteristics.
Colour, Surface Finish and Display Features
This Peacock Ore specimen is admired for its bright metallic iridescence. The acid-treated surface may display a mixture of vivid blue, violet, purple, gold, green, bronze, pink, and coppery tones, depending on the angle of light and the natural surface texture of the specimen. The colour can appear especially vibrant under good display lighting, making it an eye-catching piece for a cabinet, shelf, desk, collection tray, or natural history display.
The specimen may show uneven surfaces, natural fractures, granular areas, metallic lustre, and varied colour intensity across the crystal. These natural and treated surface variations are part of the visual character of Peacock Ore and help make each piece individual. As the photo shows the actual specimen supplied, the buyer can see the exact colour arrangement, shape, and display quality before ordering.
Genuine Specimen with Certificate of Authenticity
This Crystal is a genuine specimen and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. The certificate provides reassurance that the item supplied is an authentic mineral specimen, carefully selected for sale as a collectable crystal and geological display piece.
Chalcopyrite has a Mohs hardness of approximately 3.5 to 4, while Bornite is also a relatively soft metallic mineral. As with many sulphide minerals, the specimen should be handled carefully and stored in a dry indoor location. It is best kept away from water, harsh cleaning products, prolonged direct handling, and abrasive contact, as these can affect the surface lustre and colour.
Collector, Decorative and Gift Appeal
Peacock Ore is a popular choice for collectors who enjoy colourful minerals, metallic crystals, copper ore specimens, and decorative natural objects. Its bold iridescent colours make it suitable for display alongside other crystals, fossils, rocks, minerals, and natural curiosities. It is also a useful specimen for educational collections, helping demonstrate copper sulphide minerals, metallic lustre, tarnish, and the commercial presentation of treated mineral specimens.
This genuine Peacock Ore Chalcopyrite/Bornite crystal is ideal for mineral collectors, geology enthusiasts, crystal displays, natural history cabinets, decorative interiors, and gift buyers looking for a colourful and visually distinctive specimen with strong geological interest.
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