Rio Grande County, Colorado, USA

Iridescent blue and purple hexagonal covellite crystals.

© Vandall King

Intergrowth of many very sharp, dark metallic blue bladed Covellite crystals to 1.3 cm across, without matrix. Personal collection of Sharon Cisneros.

© Eugene & Sharon Cisneros

Well-formed crystals of covellite are rare on a world basis, and some of the best come from the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado. This example from the Reynolds Tunnel exhibits thin, hexagonal plates, many with a reddish-purple tarnish, speckled with minor chalcopyrite. Dan A. Polhemus photo, acquired using a Leica MC170 HD digital ...

Exceptionally fine iridescent blades of Covellite on matrix! This is the best Colorado Covellite I have seen in all my years of searching! Colorado Covellite is usually golden and massive but this specimen looks more like the fine blades one would find on a very fine Butte specimen! The color is dark blue with purple-red accents when exposed ...

© Kevin Ward & exceptionalminerals.com

1.2mm xl. JBS specimen and photo.

© 2006 Jason B. Smith

Group of purple covellite crystals. Brent Thorne specimen and photograph.

© Brent Thorne

Dimensions: 2.35 x 2.16 x 2.01cm

© Dr. Perry Silver

7.5x5x3

© OsoSoft Mineral Connection

I think that this is an excellent large cabinet cluster of crystals for this noted Colorado locality! Pale bluish-gray tabular opaque crystals of barite to over 3.5 cm on edge are forming a matrix-less inter-connected cluster of crystals measuring 11.8 x 8.6 x 5.2 cm in size overall. Very minor chipping is present, but overall I think that this ...

© Dan Weinrich Minerals

1.6cm x 1.6cm x 0.7cm Collection of Danny Jones

© Danny Jones

Width of field is 0.5 mm. Collection of Jesse Crawford. The depth of field has been enhanced using CombineZP (35 frames). Equipment: Nikon D-100 digital camera on a homemade microscope.

© 2008 by Jesse Crawford

17.3 x 12.5 x 6.2 cm. This is a huge specimen of classic, old-time covellite from the mid-1900s heyday here at Summitville. The specimen weighs 2 kilograms and is 7 inches in length. Although the edges are contacted where plate-like crystals broke from the lamellar grip of the surrounding mass, the result is a play of colors on the exposed crystal ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

7.3 x 5.9 x 4.1 cm. A very rich and colorful specimen of covellite from Colorado. Along with Butte in Montana, and perhaps the ancient locality in Sardinia, these are the world's great covellite locales. The piece has crystals to over an inch, and very good 3-dimensional relief.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

5.8 x 5.0 x 4.4 cm. When it comes to Covellite, Butte, Montana, gets most of the attention when it comes to specimens from the USA. Most people don't realize that perhaps the largest and finest Covellites were actually found in Summitville, Colorado. The Colorado School of Mines has a Covellite specimen on display with individual crystals that ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

Summitville, Colorado covellite of this quality is rarer than Butte covellite and is considered by many to be the finest covellite in the world. This striking specimen features very large, golden-brassy metallic plates with gorgeous peacock-blue accents. Essentially solid covellite, this is an excellent example of the species and famous locale and ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

7.8 x 6.8 x 3.4 cm. Summitville, Colorado covellite of this quality is rarer than Butte covellite and is considered by many to be the finest covellite in the world. This striking specimen features large, splendent, golden-brassy metallic plates with gorgeous peacock-blue accents on the sides. The white matrix is a very stark contrast to the ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

Width of field is 7 mm. Collection of Jesse Crawford. Equipment: Nikon D-100 using a reversed 55 mm macro lens.

© 2008 by Jesse Crawford

Nice sharp opaque crystals on matrix. Stunning. 3.5 inches tall. Ex. Williams Minerals. Ex. Maines Collection.

© Jennifer N. Wingard

Excellent crystals of covellite from this classic locality. I collected this specimen myself in 1978. Specimen size:4cm x 3cm.

4.3 x 3.4 x 2.4 cm. An unusual baryte specimen, showing a sharp, white crystal on matrix. Ex. Harold Urish Collection.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

2.7cm x 1.7cm x 2.0cm Very nice crystal cluster. Purchased at auction from the H. D. WEBB COLLECTION June 2006. Collection of Danny Jones

© Danny Jones

Irregular aggregate of dominant blue-violet laminar crystals with rough hexagonal shape. Ex J. Folch Girona Collection (duplicates).

© Carles Curto Milà

This locality in Colorado is noted for its fine barite specimens. They are usually colorless. This cabinet sized example shows beautiful sparkling blue translucent to transparent tabular thin crystals to 2.6 cm in size covering completely the top side of a 10.4 x 10.3 x 4.7 cm matrix. Minor damage is present along the edges of the piece as seen in ...

© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals

17.3 x 12.5 x 6.2 cm. This is a huge specimen of classic, old-time covellite from the mid-1900s heyday here at Summitville. The specimen weighs 2 kilograms and is 7 inches in length. Although the edges are contacted where plate-like crystals broke from the lamellar grip of the surrounding mass, the result is a play of colors on the exposed crystal ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

7.8 x 6.8 x 3.4 cm. Summitville, Colorado covellite of this quality is rarer than Butte covellite and is considered by many to be the finest covellite in the world. This striking specimen features large, splendent, golden-brassy metallic plates with gorgeous peacock-blue accents on the sides. The white matrix is a very stark contrast to the ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

A 4.3 by 3.6 cms mass of pyritic matrix with a vug lined with small Enargite crystals. JSS specimen and photo.

© 2013 JSS

5.8 x 5.1 x 3.4 cm. This striking specimen features large metallic plates of iridescent, gorgeous peacock-blue and magenta covellite on all sides. Essentially solid covellite, this is an excellent example of the species and famous locale. Ex. Wes Parker Collection.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

Masse of enargite with visible crystals to 3mm.

© Fenixrocks

A fine 4.5 x 4.3 x 1.4 cm cluster of colorless slightly translucent non-lustrous tabular barite crystals. Shows nicely all around and in very good condition damage-wise. Ex Don Belsher collection.

© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals

Covellite from Colorado. T197

7.8 x 6.4 x 4.5 cm. This striking specimen features large, layered metallic plates of iridescent, golden, peacock-blue and magenta covellite on all sides. Several faces on the piece have riveting golden and peacock-blue. Essentially solid covellite, this is an outstanding example of the species and locale. Ex. Wes Parker Collection.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

13.2 x 9.1 x 6.8 cm Largest Crystal: 4.5 cm One of the better Crater Creek Barite specimens that I know of. I acquired the piece years ago from Larry Conklin. For reference, this material is written up in “Minerals of Colorado” – 1997 and the crystals are described as being up to 2 inches. The crystals on this specimen are nearly 2 ...

© Brian Kosnar - Mineral Classics

This locality in Colorado is noted for its fine barite specimens. They are usually colorless. This cabinet sized example shows beautiful sparkling blue translucent to transparent tabular thin crystals to 2.6 cm in size covering completely the top side of a 10.4 x 10.3 x 4.7 cm matrix. Minor damage is present along the edges of the piece as seen in ...

© Dan & Diana Weinrich Minerals

Specimen size is 9 cm x 5 cm x 5 cm. D.R. Lagerwall collection and photo.

© Dean Lagerwall

3.7 x 3.5 x 3.1 cm. Summitville, Colorado covellite of this quality is rarer than Butte covellite and is considered by many to be the finest covellite in the world. This striking specimen features layered metallic plates of iridescent, golden and peacock-blue covellite on all three sides. Two faces on the piece have riveting golden and ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

5.8 x 5.1 x 3.4 cm. This striking specimen features large metallic plates of iridescent, gorgeous peacock-blue and magenta covellite on all sides. Essentially solid covellite, this is an excellent example of the species and famous locale. Ex. Wes Parker Collection.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

A mass of irridescent blue plates with minor Chalcopyrite and white clays. JSS specimen and photo.

© JSS 2014

Small intergrown crystals of gold on a quartz matrix. Obtained from Dakota Matrix Minerals. Previously from the collection of E. W. Thorpe.

© Alex Earl 2020

A single worn crystalline crystal of gold on a matrix of quartz. Obtained from Dakota Matrix Minerals. Previously from the collection of E. W. Thorpe.

© Alex Earl 2020

Rounded crystalline grains of gold spread across a matrix of quartz. Obtained from Dakota Matrix Minerals. Previously from the collection of E. W. Thorpe.

© Alex Earl 2020

Sample with 2,5cm from Polk vein. July of 2012

© Photo & Collection of Martins da Pedra

Enargite crystals with quartz. 5MP Chinese unbranded CMOS camera with bellows and FYSCOPE 4X Semi Plan Achromatic Objective Lens. Processed with Zerene stacker DMap and post stacking cleanup with Faststone. Collection and photograph of Rod Martin.

8.6 x 8.0 x 4.3 cm. Summitville, Colorado covellite of this quality is rarer than Butte covellite and is considered by many to be the finest covellite in the world. This striking, large, upright, two-sided specimen features large, intergrown metallic plates of iridescent, golden-bronze, magenta, and peacock-blue covellite on all sides. The blades ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

Perfect quality, Covellite, from Summitville, Summitville District, Rio Grande Co., Colorado, USA

© Lopatkin Oleg

8.4 x 5.0 x 3.8 cm. Summitville, Colorado covellite is rarer than Butte covellite and is considered by many to be the finest covellite in the world. This is an excellent and extremely rare, three-sided combination specimen featuring intergrown, corroded, metallic plates of iridescent covellite with rare sky-blue turquoise. Solid covellite, this is ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

3.6 x 3.3 x 2.3 cm Largest Crystal: 1.0 cm These are some of the best Barite crystals that I’ve seen from Muddy Creek, not to mention the habit that is so incredibly eye-catching. This small miniature specimen features hundreds of sharp, rather lustrous, very well-formed, snow-white blades of Barite forming a beautiful “flower”-shaped ...

© Brian Kosnar - Mineral Classics

Good sized iridescent covellite crystals are in a turquoise-rich matrix.

© Kevin Conroy

Covellite, solid 35mm. thick fracture-filling crystal-mat with iridescent violet-blue surface-tarnish and shiny golden-yellow films of chalcopyrite on cleavage surfaces (many terminal faces are crush-damage Collected by Doug Scott from the dump September,1969 Doug Scott Collection * Chalcopyrite was not listed so I added it

© JR Montgomery

6.0 x 3.7 x 1.9 cm. A very aesthetic small cabinet cluster of sharp, tabular, bi-colored baryte spear-points from this less well-known Colorado locale. I like the way the opposing crystal complements the two intergrown crystals. The bodies of the crystals are a lustrous, very glassy, transparent to translucent gray and are starkly contrasted by ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

8.4 x 7.0 x 3.3 cm. This striking two-sided Colorado specimen features layered metallic plates of dark navy-blue covellite that turn gorgeous, iridescent, peacock-blue when rotated under bright light. Summitville, Colorado covellite of this quality is rarer than Butte covellite and is considered by many to be the finest covellite in the world. ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

3.0 x 2.7 x 1.8 cm. A fine Muddy Creek baryte miniature from this well-known Colorado locale. A sharp, 2.9 cm on edge, lustrous, “chalky” crystal with a nice oxide tint is exquisitely perched on clay matrix with smaller barytes. This is a superb specimen from this locale. Ex. Cynthia Payne Collection.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

7.0 x 6.0 x 6.0 cm. Stunning, iridescent peacock-blue covellite blades cover all sides and are nicely complemented by the uncommon green malachite on this rich and showy Colorado piece. One side also has golden iridescent covellite blades. Many people consider these to be the equal or superior to Butte covellite and they are more uncommon. Ex. Wes ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

4.7 x 4.2 x 3.2 cm Largest Crystal: 6 mm These are some of the best Barite crystals that I’ve seen from Muddy Creek, not to mention the habit that is so incredibly eye-catching. This miniature specimen features hundreds of sharp, rather lustrous, very well-formed, snow-white blades of Barite forming a beautiful “flower”-shaped group on ...

© Brian Kosnar - Mineral Classics

A 3.2 vt 2.9 cms crystal. JSS specimen and photo.

© 2011 JSS

6.5 x 3.7 x 3.2 cm. A colorful vein of iridescent golden and peacock-blue covellite plates are sandwiched between the host matrix on this rich and excellent two-sided piece from this noted Colorado locale. Summitville covellites of this quality are rarer and equal to or surpass Butte pieces. Choice older material from the West Parker Collection.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

Chalky white baryte crystals on a tan matrix, characteristic of specimens from Muddy Creek. Purchased at the Rock Hut in Leadville, Colorado on 23 June 2013; currently in the Polhemus collection, catalog # POL-MIN-2013-0003. Dan A. Polhemus photo, 2014.

© Dan A. Polhemus, 2019

10.3 x 6.6 x 3.5 cm. Tightly intergrown clusters of iridescent golden and peacock-blue covellite plates form an impressive large 360-degree plate from this noted Colorado locale. Covellite specimens of this quality are rarer than those from Butte and match or surpass Butte covellites in quality. Choice material.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

10.3 x 6.6 x 3.5 cm. Tightly intergrown clusters of iridescent golden and peacock-blue covellite plates form an impressive large 360-degree plate from this noted Colorado locale. Covellite specimens of this quality are rarer than those from Butte and match or surpass Butte covellites in quality. Choice material.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

A 3.0 by 3.0 cms crystal. JSS specimen and photo.

© 2011 JSS

8.4 x 7.0 x 3.3 cm. This striking two-sided Colorado specimen features layered metallic plates of dark navy-blue covellite that turn gorgeous, iridescent, peacock-blue when rotated under bright light. Summitville, Colorado covellite of this quality is rarer than Butte covellite and is considered by many to be the finest covellite in the world. ...

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

4.9 x 3.0 x 0.3 cm. When people think of covellite, one of the first localities (at least in the United States) that comes to mind is Butte, Montana. Most people don't realize however that perhaps the largest and finest covellites were actually found in Summitville, Colorado. As a matter of fact, if you visit The Colorado School of Mines Museum, ...

© Rob Lavinsky & MineralAuctions.com

6.1 x 4.7 x 2.3 cm Largest Crystal: 7 mm These are some of the best Barite crystals that I’ve seen from Muddy Creek, not to mention the habit that is so incredibly eye-catching. This small cabinet specimen features hundreds of sharp, rather lustrous, very well-formed, snow-white blades of Barite forming a beautiful “flower”-shaped group. ...

© Brian Kosnar - Mineral Classics

10.3 x 6.6 x 3.5 cm. Tightly intergrown clusters of iridescent golden and peacock-blue covellite plates form an impressive large 360-degree plate from this noted Colorado locale. Covellite specimens of this quality are rarer than those from Butte and match or surpass Butte covellites in quality. Choice material.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

6.5 x 3.7 x 3.2 cm. A colorful vein of iridescent golden and peacock-blue covellite plates are sandwiched between the host matrix on this rich and excellent two-sided piece from this noted Colorado locale. Summitville covellites of this quality are rarer and equal to or surpass Butte pieces. Choice older material from the West Parker Collection.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

7.1 x 5.3 x 5.3 cm. This specimen is a good piece of covellite featuring classic, bladed crystals measuring up to 4.5 cm. The blades have the distinctive iridescent blue-purple hue for the species, but they're most a silvery-golden color.

© Rob Lavinsky & MineralAuctions.com

7.1 x 5.3 x 5.3 cm. This specimen is a good piece of covellite featuring classic, bladed crystals measuring up to 4.5 cm. The blades have the distinctive iridescent blue-purple hue for the species, but they're most a silvery-golden color.

© Rob Lavinsky & MineralAuctions.com

Galactic open pit - 1972 Summitville, Summitville Mining District Rio Grande County, Colorado SIZE: 5.5 x 4.5 x 2.7 cm

© Bill Morgenstern/Earth Moods

4.3 x 3.3 x 2.8 cm These are some of the best quality barite crystals that I’ve seen from Muddy Creek, not to mention the habit that is so incredibly eye-catching. This small cabinet specimen features hundreds of sharp, rather lustrous, very well-formed, off-white blades of barite forming a beautiful “flower”-shaped group. The added touch ...

© Brian Kosnar - Mineral Classics

4.7 x 4.2 x 3.2 cm Largest Crystal: 6 mm These are some of the best Barite crystals that I’ve seen from Muddy Creek, not to mention the habit that is so incredibly eye-catching. This miniature specimen features hundreds of sharp, rather lustrous, very well-formed, snow-white blades of Barite forming a beautiful “flower”-shaped group on ...

© Brian Kosnar - Mineral Classics

3.0 x 2.7 x 1.8 cm. A fine Muddy Creek baryte miniature from this well-known Colorado locale. A sharp, 2.9 cm on edge, lustrous, “chalky” crystal with a nice oxide tint is exquisitely perched on clay matrix with smaller barytes. This is a superb specimen from this locale. Ex. Cynthia Payne Collection.

© Rob Lavinsky & irocks.com

Mass of indigo blue crystals of Covellite partially coated by a thin film of Chalcopyrite on some sides. JSS specimen and photo.

© 2022 JSS

7.1 x 5.3 x 5.3 cm. This specimen is a good piece of covellite featuring classic, bladed crystals measuring up to 4.5 cm. The blades have the distinctive iridescent blue-purple hue for the species, but they're most a silvery-golden color.

© Rob Lavinsky & MineralAuctions.com

Small (to nearly 1 cm) somewhat clear to milky white crystals in tight groups with some individual crystals perched on attractive mass of solid crystals. 7x4.5x4 cm, collected 2010.

© Bill Dameron

7.1 x 5.3 x 5.3 cm. This specimen is a good piece of covellite featuring classic, bladed crystals measuring up to 4.5 cm. The blades have the distinctive iridescent blue-purple hue for the species, but they're most a silvery-golden color.

© Rob Lavinsky & MineralAuctions.com

Specimen acquired from the Rocksmiths in 1983.

© Larry Maltby