Locality: Mineral Hill, Wakefield, NH
Specimen Size: 1.2 mm fov. Individual covellite crystals to 0.2 mm. (2.5 cm full specimen view)
Field Collected: Gene Bearss
Catalog No.: u1256
Notes: This specimen and one other are the only NH examples seen by the author which show distinct hexagonal covellite crystals. Most crystals in the magnified view are standing on edge - hexagonal thin plates. More typical NH specimens are simple covellite crusts.
Locality: Mineral Hill, Wakefield, NH
Specimen Size: 0.5 mm rosette of hexagonal covellite crystal plates
Field Collected: Gene Bearss
Catalog No.: A Gene Bearss collection specimen
Notes:
Locality: Johnson Rd., Bow, NH
Specimen Size: 5 mm field of view. This is sample analyzed.
Field Collected: 2016
Catalog No.: u2152
Notes: A carbon tape EDS analysis (BC250) showed a copper sulfur zinc mineral with moderate oxygen. The Cu:S:Zn APFU ratio from the analysis was 9:3:1. The Cu:S ratio for covellite (CuS) is 1:1.
It is uncertain if the zinc is essential for this mineral sample or not. There are 12 species with only Cu and S as essential, with varying ratios of Cu and S. There are no minerals with Zn, S and Cu essential, but no oxygen. If the oxygen is essential, then the number of candidates is six, but none of these visually fit.
Locality: Johnson Rd., Bow, NH
Specimen Size: 2.5 mm field of view
Field Collected: 2016
Catalog No.: u2160
Notes: Covellite filled cavity in quartz.
Locality: Johnson Rd. construction site, Bow, NH
Specimen Size: 6 mm field of view, top photo. 12 mm field of view lower photo.
Field Collected: Paul Young - 2016.
Catalog No.: u2302
Notes: Blue covellite inside cavity outlined by earlier generation crystal. Interesting.
Locality: Joppa Hill, Amherst, NH
Specimen Size: 5 mm field of view
Field Collected: Tom Mortimer - 2009
Catalog No.: 1363
Notes: A carbon tape mounted grain EDS analysis (BC257) gave a good match for covellite. The oxygen response is likely due to some surface oxidation of the carbon tape grain.
This specimen came from a large quartz outcrop about 100 yards below the classic Joppa Hill skarn collecting area.
Some residual chalcopyrite is also present in this small vug.
Locality: Mascot Mine, Gorham, NH
Specimen Size: 2.5 mm field of view
Field Collected: Bob Wilken
Catalog No.: A Bob Wilken specimen & photo
Notes: Covellite has not previously been reported from the Mascot Mine
Locality: Palermo Mine, N. Groton, NH
Specimen Size: 0.9 mm (larger) field of view
Field Collected: Bob Whitmore - from a tub of Palermo phosphate rocks gifted by Bob.
Catalog No.: u2436
Notes: Covellite has not been previously reported from the Palermo Mine.
An EDS analysis , BC438, Set 31, confirmed covellite. I think these are likely post mining, perhaps even post collecting, as they have sat in a tub of Palermo rocks collected by Bob over 20 years ago (or more?). The tiny flakes are on the surface of obviously broken up chunks. The APFU from the analysis shows nearly equal parts Cu and S (1.0 to 0.9 ratio). A bit of oxygen in the analysis, but this was a carbon tape mounted grain, so am discounting the oxygen presence.