NATIVE COPPER

SPECIMEN DESCRIPTION

Quincy mine at Hancock in Houghton Co., Michigan is one of the top localities for fine crystals of Native Copper and this specimen demonstrates why. From David Hardman's remarkable collection of Native Coppers, this miniature is just so distinctive and oozes character. Partially coated in a thin film of green Malachite and an unknown black substance, orange-red patches of the underlying pure Native Copper poke through, reassuring you of its richness. The specimen is made up of about 99% Native Copper, formed as blocky but slightly rounded, triangular-shaped crystals, individually between 1 and 2.2 cm in size. These crystals form a compact but open aggregate. Quincy mine was one of the longest lived and most productive mines in the copper belt having opened in 1846 and closed in 1968. During its first 99 years of mining, 424,000 tons of copper metal were produced.