Red Hematite Quartz with Tetrahedrite and Chalcopyrite from Dongxiang Co.

Dimension: 5cm x 3cm x 3.1cm
Weight: 60g
Locality: Dongxiang Co., Fuzhou Prefecture, Jiangxi Province, China
 
Transparent and lustrous Quartz points finely coated with a thin layer of Hematite in the eye-catching rose red to orange-red color.  Aggregates of charcoal black Tetrahedrite in a slightly botryoidal shape aesthetically intergrown with the groups of tiny Quartz points, creating an attractive visual effect.  Chalcopyrite can also be seen on the side and at the bottom of the specimen.  A small but very beautiful piece from Dongxiang Co.!
 
The prevalence of Hematite in red color is due to oxidized iron in general.  Hematite had been used as red pigment for paintings at Gramalote, an early Initial Period (1500–1200 cal. B.C.) maritime community in the north coast of Peru.