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Gallery 9 Copper Mineral SpecimensReturn to Mineral Specimen Galleries
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C-220 Copper $50 Cape d'Or, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, Canada 6 x 2.4 x 1 cm. The Cape D'Or area in Nova Scotia has produced some very beautiful and aesthetic Copper specimens over the years. The prominent cliffs of the cape are Triassic age Basalts. Several separate lava flows occurred, and there is evidence that some erosion occurred between flows. At least six separate flows can be counted at Cape D'Or. Although small amounts of copper have been found in the basalts at various localities around the Bay of Fundy, the area around Cape D'Or the has the highest concentration. The specimens of Copper from Cape d'Or are considered to be very collectible.
A-095 Azurite $60 Malbunka
Copper Mine, Areyonga, Gardiner Range 7.6 x 6.1 x 2.9 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-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.
C-289 amygdular Copper $95 Keweenaw County, MI 10.4 x 9.1 x 2 cm Here we have an example of amygdular Copper. Michigan is well-known for outstanding crystallized Copper specimens. Rounded solid Copper amygdules are rare. This example shows good crystallization. This example has been sawn in half and could be polished if desired. 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.
M-066 Malachite on Chrysocolla $40 L'Etoile du Congo Mine, Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo 7 x 2.6 x 2.6 cm This colorful specimen features vivid, deep green botryoidal Malachite spheres overgrowing light blue Chrysocolla. The Congo Malachite specimens are in my opinion not as greatly appreciated as they should be, probably because there has been a good supply of them, but they should not be underrated.
C-140 Cuprite variety Chalcotrichite on Copper $50 Ray Mine, Mineral Creek District, Pinal County, Arizona 8.5 x 5 x .7 cm. A dramatic matrix specimen of Copper accented by millimeter sized Cuprite crystals as well as acicular sprays of the variety of Cuprite, Chalcotrichite. A great mineral specimen from a classic U.S. mineral locality. While it looks spectacular when viewed by the naked eye, you will be amazed at the complexity of the crystallization of the Cuprite on this specimen when viewed by loupe or by microscope.
A-113 Azurite $500 Malbunka Copper Mine, Areyonga, Gardiner Range, MacDonnell Region, Northern Territory, Australia 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.
S-158 Shattuckite & Malachite $75 Kandesei, Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene Region, Namibia 3.5 x 2 x 3.1 cm Shattuckite is a rare secondary copper silicate. This sculptural vug shows acicular banded Shattuckite that forms the botryoids in the interior. One side of the robins-egg blue outer crust is beautifully accented with bright green Malachite crystals. A classic Shattuckite with Malachite from finds made a few years ago.
A-071 Atacamite & Halloysite $120 La Farola Mine, Cerro Pintado, Copiapó Province, Atacama Region, Chile 12 x 7 x 4 cm. This attractive, two-sided specimen features numerous lustrous sprays of the copper mineral Atacamite. Accenting the front side of this specimen is a band of off-white Halloysite and a matted covering of needle-like crystals of an unidentified mineral on the lower left portion of the specimen. The rear of this specimen features many sprays of Atacamite on a background of blebby, off-white Halloysite.
C-241 Cuprite on Copper $135 Cornwall, England, UK 6 x 4.2 x 3.1 cm. This is an old, classic Cuprite specimen from one of the most famous areas in the world for the species. It is comprised of sharp, red-colored, millimeter-sized crystals of Cuprite richly covering a matrix of Copper crystals. This specimen is well over 100 years old and can be dated by the F. Krantz label that accompanies the specimen. A great old-time, classic mineral specimen.
C-233 Copper $75 Zarkashan Mountain, Ghanzi Province, Afghanistan 10 x 7 x 3 cm. When one thinks of minerals from Afghanistan one thinks of Kunzite, Tourmaline, Lazurite and the other "sexy" minerals. What many people don't realize is that Afghanistan's mineral wealth is much broader and deeper than that. The mineral wealth of Afghanistan has just begun to be exploited. I submit this specimen that is richly included with coarsely crystallized Copper as proof. I hope that the future will see many more examples of the "other" minerals of Afghanistan.
A-087 Azurite $65 Malbunka Copper Mine, Areyonga, Northern Territory, Australia 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.
A-088 Azurite $95 Malbunka Copper Mine, Areyonga, Northern Territory, Australia 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. 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.
M-061 Malachite stalactite $200 Mashamba West Mine, Kolwezi District, Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo 12.3 x 2.3 x 2 cm. A fantastically shaped large Malachite stalactite from a famous locale. Some of the finest Malachite specimens known have come from Katanga in the Congo. Famous for its stalactitic Malachite; specimens from here are highly prized by collectors. This stalactite has a narrow hollow tube in its center, from the base all the way up to its tip. The specimen also has a matte finish and a striking, bulbous, non-linear form. One of the more unusual and striking single Malachite stalactites that I've seen. 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-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 mashed or slightly rounded form. Despite this, the specimen still exhibits some of its original crystalline form.
C-248 Conichalcite & Malachite with Calcite $35 Hilarion Mine, Agios Konstantinos, Lavrion District, Attikí Prefecture, Greece 4.7 x 3.4 x 2.4 cm. A vuggy specimen of the two copper minerals, Conichalcite and Malachite. This vibrantly colored specimen features well-formed crystals of calcite as well which add a nice accent to the piece.
C-271 Copper $50 Corocoro, Pacajes Province, La Paz, Bolivia 6.8 x 4.8 x .3 cm Most people are familiar with the Copper pseudomorphs after Aragonite from this locality, but to find non-pseudomorphic native Copper is rather rare. This large "sheet" of partially crystallized Copper is a great display from this historic locality. It has a gorgeous blue-green patina and a few areas with Copper crystals exposed. These pieces started to trickle out around late 2007 but are not easy to find. I'm told that the locality was recently purchased by a Korean mining company, so collecting and obtaining specimens will become very difficult in the future, as they're melting down every piece of copper they can find.
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-280 Copper in Quartz $35 Greenstone Quarry, Blue Ridge Summit, Adams County, PA 9 x 5 x 3.4 cm Copper is not the first mineral that comes to mind when you think of minerals from Pennsylvania. This specimen of Quartz that has been sawn to show off the spider web-like inclusions of native "sheet" Copper. An unusual specimen from an unusual locality.
M-067 Malachite crystals on Chrysocolla $65 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. Massive Malachite with Blue-green-colored Chrysocolla and hundreds of of tiny needle-like crystals of a darker hue that grew out of the surface. A colorful mineral specimen.
R-043 Rosasite on Dolomite $65 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.
M-022 Malachite, Chrysocolla & Calcite $60 Katanga Copper Zone, Katanga, Congo 5.5 x 6.7 x 4 cm. This Specimen features the classic Katanga matrix of Chrysocolla and Calcite upon which is perched a cluster of wedge-like Malachites. The wedges are so dense at their centers that they appear black, grading to a velvet fuzz at their tips.
B-123 Brochantite and Malachite on Barite $40 Blanchard Mine, Socorro County, New Mexico 9 x 6.5 x 3 cm. This mineral specimen features a pair of Copper minerals on a matrix of Barite. Most abundant on this specimen are numerous sprays of the mineral Brochantite. A great looking specimen on it's own, but if viewed under a microscope it is even more exciting.
C-185 Copper $75 White Pine Mine, Ontonagon County, Michigan 8.6 x 7 x 1 cm. Here we offer a fine, sculptural 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.
A-070 Atacamite with Pseudomalachite & Gypsum $90 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.
C-113 Cuprite with Chrysocolla $60 Mashamba West Mine, Kolwezi, Katanga, Congo 6 x 5.5 x 3 cm. This matrix specimen of the Copper oxide mineral Cuprite is crowned by a 1.5 x 1.6 x 1.3 cm. pair of interpenetrating Cuprite crystals that have a slight metallic luster and show a hint of red near their termination. The matrix also has a coating of pale bluish Chrysocolla and a minor amount of dark green Malachite, making for a nice contrast of colors. This classic locality is no longer producing these classic Cuprite specimens.
A-047 Atacamite with Pseudomalachite $65 La Farola Mine, Cerro Pintado, Copiapó Province, Atacama Region, Chile 8 x 5 x 2 cm. Here is an example of Chile's signature mineral, Atacamite. This vividly-colored specimen features a multitude of Atacamite crystals, many of which are encrusted with the mineral Pseudomalachite. Good-looking specimens of Atacamite are increasingly harder to find these days.
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