Copper

specimen number:
2062116

location:
Wyandotte Mine, Winona, Houghton Co., Michigan, USA

description:
This is a monster native copper crystal that is well-formed. In super condition with an excellent patina. Collected in the 1970s from material that had been separated due to the jamming of the crusher.

The Wyandotte Mine, located in Houghton County, Michigan, was one of the early copper mining operations developed during the mid 19th century in the Keweenaw Peninsula. The mine worked native copper deposits associated with the Keweenaw lode system, where copper occurs in amygdaloidal basalt flows formed by ancient volcanic activity. Mining was carried out through underground shafts and drifts that followed mineralized zones, with efforts focused on locating rich pockets of native copper. Like many smaller mines in the region, the Wyandotte Mine experienced variable success due to the uneven distribution of ore and the limitations of early mining methods. Operations were relatively short lived, and the property was eventually abandoned as larger and more productive mines dominated the district.

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