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Gallery 9 Copper Mineral SpecimensReturn to Mineral Specimen Galleries
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C-323 Copper $85 #3 Shaft, Northwestern Mine, Central, Keweenaw County, MI 3.7 x 2.1 x 1.1 cm A spinel-twinned example of Copper with an elongate form from one of Michigan's oldest Copper mines. This specimen has a rich, mahogany-colored patina. The Northwestern Mine operated from 1845-1865. 313,000 lbs. of refined Copper was recovered from the mine during it's short life span.
C-319 Copper $80 Belt Mine, Mass City, Ontonagon County, MI 4.2 x 1.7 x 1.1 cm A curved and of elongated specimen of crystallized Copper. This specimen hails from a locality that is seldom represented in collections. The mine organized in 1848. Work continued into 1853, when the mine was sold to the Bohemian Mining Co. Operations were sporadic until 1882, when the Bohemian and Great Western Mining Co's. were merged, then bought by the Belt Mining Co. Around 1890, mining operations ceased. In 1900, the property was bought by the Arctic Copper Mining Co. and in 1905 resold to the Lake Copper Co., which changed the name of the mine to Lake. The Belt Mine produced approx. 666,000 lbs. of refined Copper.
AD-243 Azurite geode with Quartz $65 Blue Ball Mine, Globe, Globe-Miami District, Gila County, AZ R
= 2.3 x 2.1 x 1.4 cm A deeply-colored nodule of Azurite. This example has been spit in half to reveal a cavity filled with sparkly Azurite crystals. Also present on this specimen are tiny crystals of Quartz that are embedded in the nodule's surface; which appear as white spots. This is one of the best examples of this material that I have seen. Only about 0.1% of the Azurite nodules from this location had hollow centers.
A-113 Azurite $475 Malbunka
Copper Mine, Areyonga, Gardiner Range 9.4 x 7 x 4.4 cm An outstanding example of an Azurite “sun” from the Malbunka Copper Mine. The Azurite on this specimen has a beautiful and rich blue color as well as an interesting texture with good (as far as Azurite from this location is concerned) crystallization. The largest Azurite on this specimen measures 7 x 7 cm and is unusually thick. At 2.1 cm it is one of the thickest Azurite nodules that I have seen from this location. 4 or 5 mm in thickness is what you usually get. These Azurite “suns” form in a fashion that is unlike any other Azurite that I've seen. These flattened discs of Azurite are formed between layers of Kaolinite which forces them to grow in a laterally compressed, radiating manner. A top quality example of this material.
C-324 Copper $300 #3 Shaft, Northwestern Mine, Central, Keweenaw County, MI 6.7 x 3.8 x 1.3 cm A sculptural example of Michigan Copper. This specimen features branching, elongated crystals of Copper with a rich patina. This specimen hails from the Northwestern Mine. One of Michigan's oldest Copper mines, the Northwestern Mine operated from 1845-1865.
C-326 Copper $50 #3 Shaft, Northwestern Mine, Central, Keweenaw County, MI 3.1 x 1.5 x .7 cm A sculptural group of Copper crystals with form that reminds me of a windmill. This specimen features crystals measuring up to 1.3 cm in size. The Northwestern Mine operated from 1845-1865.
M-067 Malachite crystals on Chrysocolla $85 Bisbee, Warren District, Mule Mountains, Cochise County, AZ 9 x 7.6 x 5.7 cm A brightly-colored specimen of two copper minerals; Chrysocolla & Malachite. This specimen is made up of several generations of Malachite; the first being amorphous & the second consisting of hundreds of of tiny needle-like crystals of a darker hue mixed with blue-green-colored Chrysocolla. A colorful mineral specimen from a noteworthy location.
A-127 Azurite $75 Milpillas Mine, Cuitaca, Santa Cruz Municipality, Sonora, Mexico 2.4 x 2 x 1.3 cm A well-formed and lustrous crystal of Azurite from Mexico's Milpillas Mine. This specimen has a deep blue color and is a really good example of this material. Azurite specimens from this location hold their own when compared to the best examples from Touissit, Tsumeb or Zacatecas.
C-321 Copper $75 Hill Fissure Mine, Copper Falls, Keweenaw County, MI 6.7 x 4.7 x 1 cm A branch-like example of coarsely crystallized Copper from one of Michigan's more obscure Copper localities. Little is known of the Hill Mine, which worked the Hill Fissure at Copper Falls Mine. Early explorations of the area discovered numerous ancient mining pits that had been heavily worked. In 1851, the mine was opened by an adit into the side of the hill. Between 1851 and 1855, seven shafts were developed along the vein. During this time, approximately 245,000 pounds of copper were produced. In 1855, the mine was put on tribute as the company was going through reorganization. In 1861, the mine became part of the new Petherick Mining Company. Today, the rock piles are heavily overgrown and difficult to locate.
C-322 Copper $60 Hill Fissure Mine, Copper Falls, Keweenaw County, MI 15.4 x 4.5 x .8 cm An curvy, twisty example of coarsely crystallized Copper from one of Michigan's more obscure Copper localities. Little is known of the Hill Mine, which worked the Hill Fissure at Copper Falls Mine. Early explorations of the area discovered numerous ancient mining pits that had been heavily worked. In 1851, the mine was opened by an adit into the side of the hill. Between 1851 and 1855, seven shafts were developed along the vein. During this time, approximately 245,000 pounds of copper were produced. In 1855, the mine was put on tribute as the company was going through reorganization. In 1861, the mine became part of the new Petherick Mining Company. Today, the rock piles are heavily overgrown and difficult to locate.
A-088 Azurite $95 Malbunka
Copper Mine, Areyonga, Gardiner Range 6.3 x 4.4 x 2.3 cm. These Azurite “suns” from the Malbunka Copper Mine form in a fashion that is unlike any other Azurites that I've seen. These flattened discs of Azurite are formed between layers of Kaolinite which forced them to grow in a laterally compressed, radiating manner. This Azurite on this specimen has a beautiful blue color and an interesting texture. The Azurite is much thicker than was on specimens recovered in earlier years from this famous location.
A-096 Azurite $50 Malbunka
Copper Mine, Areyonga, Gardiner Range 7.2 x 5.1 x 3.3 cm The Azurite “suns” from the Malbunka Copper Mine form in a fashion that is unlike any other Azurites that I've seen. These flattened discs of Azurite are formed between layers of Kaolinite which forced them to grow in a laterally compressed, radiating manner. The Azurites on this specimen have beautiful deep-blue color and an interesting texture.
A-092 Azurite $50 Malbunka
Copper Mine, Areyonga, Gardiner Range 7.6 x 5.1 x 3.8 cm The Azurite on this specimen has a beautiful blue color and an interesting texture. These Azurite “suns” from the Malbunka Copper Mine form in a fashion that is unlike any other Azurites that I've seen. These flattened discs of Azurite are formed between layers of Kaolinite which forced them to grow in a laterally compressed, radiating manner.
C-230 Copper $95 Iroquois Mine, Mohawk, Keweenaw County, Michigan 7.6 x 6.7 x 2.5 cm. A chunky example of Michigan float Copper, which refers to to glacially transported native Copper. This specimen has visible striations caused by glacial scouring. This same event accounts for the slightly rounded form. Despite this, the specimen still exhibits most of its original crystalline form.
A-070 Atacamite with Pseudomalachite & Gypsum $95 La Farola Mine, Cerro Pintado, Copiapó Province, Atacama Region, Chile 11 x 8.5 x 3 cm. This attractive matrix specimen features numerous, lustrous sprays of the copper mineral Atacamite accented by minute mounds and balls of the copper mineral Pseudomalachite. Resembling a snow-capped mountain, the top portion of this specimen is a blanketed with Gypsum. B-208 Brochantite $50 Mount Oxide Copper Mine, Mount Gordon, Gunpowder District, Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia 8.5 x 4.6 x 4 cm. This specimen features crystals of bright, vividly-colored crystals of Brochantite thickly covering a silceous gossan matrix. This specimen will add a shot of color to your mineral collection.
C-289 amygdular Copper $125 Keweenaw County, MI 10.4 x 9.1 x 2 cm Michigan is well-known for outstanding crystallized Copper specimens. Here we have an example of amygdular Copper. Rounded solid Copper amygdules are rare. This example shows good crystallization. Amygdules form when the gas bubbles or vesicles in volcanic lava (or other extrusive igneous rocks) are in-filled with a secondary mineral such as Calcite, Quartz, Chlorite or one of the zeolite minerals. In this case the mineral is Copper. This example has been cut in half and could be polished if desired.
P-089 Azurite on Prosopite $30 Santa Rosa Mine, Santa Rosa, Municipio de Mazapil, Zacatecas, Mexico 2.2 x 1.5 x 1.3 cm This unusual mineral association is from a find made in the early 1960's. This specimen features subhedral crystals of the copper mineral Azurite in a matrix of Prosopite. Prosopite usually forms as an alteration product of Topaz in Topaz-rich greisens (as in Altenberg, Saxony and Schlaggenwald, Bohemia), and in Cryolite-bearing pegmatites, either as a primary mineral or as an alteration product of Cryolite. What led to the formation of Prosopite in this instance remains a mystery.
C-327 Copper $125 #4 Shaft, Isle Royale Mine, Houghton, Houghton County, MI 9.6 x 5.4 x 6.3 cm A large specimen of Copper from the Isle Royale Mine. This large copper has a subhedral form and a good patina. The Ohio and Isle Royale Company was organized in 1852 to explore the island of Isle Royale in Lake Superior. The same year, the company transferred all operations to south of Houghton where three rich veins of copper were discovered. Six shafts were sunk in the area of prehistoric pits that also followed the veins. Much copper was found as several masses were discovered very close to the surface. In 1855, the company was reorganized into the Isle Royale Copper Company but closed just two years later in 1857. The mine was worked sporadically until 1949 when it closed for good. Little remains of the original Isle Royal site. Most of the rock piles are gone, used for construction projects and road work.
A-093 Azurite $50 Malbunka
Copper Mine, Areyonga, Gardiner Range 7 x 5.5 x 3.1 cm The Azurite on this specimen has a beautiful blue color and an interesting texture. These Azurite “suns” from the Malbunka Copper Mine form in a fashion that is unlike any other Azurites that I've seen. These flattened discs of Azurite are formed between layers of Kaolinite which forced them to grow in a laterally compressed, radiating manner.
A-087 Azurite $65 Malbunka
Copper Mine, Areyonga, Gardiner Range 8 x 3.8 x 3.5 cm. These Azurite “suns” from the Malbunka Copper Mine form in a fashion that is unlike any other Azurites that I've seen. These flattened discs of Azurite are formed between layers of Kaolinite which forced them to grow in a laterally compressed, radiating manner. The Azurite on this specimen has a beautiful blue color and an interesting texture. The Azurite is much thicker than was on specimens recovered in earlier years from this famous location.
AD-245 Azurite geode with Malachite $35 Blue Ball Mine, Globe, Globe-Miami District, Gila County, AZ R
= 2.1 x 1.9 x .8 cm A nodule of Azurite that has been cut in half & polished. Thais specimen has a dark blue outer portion with a lighter-colored blue interior. This specimen also features an area of deep-green Malachite. This specimen was mounted in plaster before polishing; a method that was common in the 1960's-70's which left the specimen with a ready-made base. Only about 0.1% of the Azurite nodules from this location had hollow centers.
AD-246 Azurite nodule $35 Majuba Hill Mine, Antelope Mining District, Pershing County, NV 5.8 x 5.5 x 2.5 cm A small-cabinet-sized Azurite nodule from a location that is best know for its micromineral specimens. The center of this nodule features coarsely-formed crystals of Azurite. The Majuba Hill Mine has been closed for some time and its dumps have been hit very hard by collectors. Larger specimens such as this one are rarely found these days.
C-328 Copper $30 Central, Keweenaw County, MI 6 x 1.9 x 1.3 cm An example of a copper splinter or chip. In the course of removing mass Copper from underground, miners would cut larger pieces of Copper by hand with hammers and chisels, and in the process they would “chip” off small pieces of the Copper. Many of these chips ended up on the waste rock piles and then buried by more material as it came out. These relics of the of Michigan's Copper mining age can occasionally be found in the waste piles.
R-043 Rosasite on Dolomite $75 Bou Beker, Touissit-Bou Beker District, Jerada Province, Morocco 12.3 x 11.7 x 7.4 cm This specimen features many spheres of the Copper carbonate mineral Rosasite on a matrix of pink-colored Dolomite crystals. Some of the Rosasite spheres and some of the Dolomite crystals have a thin coating of clear Gypsum. There are also several amorphous masses of green-colored Malachite present on this specimen.
C-185 Copper $75 White Pine Mine, Ontonagon County, Michigan 8.6 x 7 x 1 cm. Here we offer a sheet of native Copper from the White Pine Mine of Michigan. This specimen is as bright as a newly minted penny. This Copper specimen came out of the earth just like this, having formed as a thin seam running through layered shale matrix. The White Pine was one of the country’s largest Copper mines dating back to 1880 and was worked until 1995. Once readily available, these “sheet Coppers” are scarce these days.
AD-114 Malachite & Azurite nodule $35 Sir Dominick Mine, South Australia, Australia 4 x 3.2 x 2.4 cm. An excellent, complete all-around floater, rosette-like nodule of Malachite pseudomorphing sharp, bladed Azurite crystals from the famous Sir Dominick Mine of South Australia. This old classic Australian copper mine was active from 1862-1920. You can see a tiny remaining spot of blue from the Azurite in the center, near the bottom.
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