Copper

specimen number:
2062117

location:
Central Mine, Keweenaw Co., Michigan, USA

description:
Beautifully crystallized grouping of native copper. The specimen comes with several previous labels including from the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum in Houghton, Michigan. In super condition.

The Central Mine, located in Keweenaw County, Michigan, was one of the most important and long lived copper mining operations in the Keweenaw Peninsula, with activity beginning in the early 1850s. The mine worked native copper deposits associated with the Keweenaw lode system, particularly within amygdaloidal basalt flows where copper filled vesicles and fractures formed by ancient volcanic activity. Extensive underground workings were developed, including shafts, drifts, and stopes that followed the mineralized zones at depth. The Central Mine became a major producer of copper and supported a thriving mining community during its peak years in the mid to late 19th century. As ore grades declined and mining conditions became more difficult, operations eventually ceased in the 1890s.

The A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan, is one of the premier mineral museums in the United States, with a history closely tied to the development of mining and geology in the Lake Superior region. The museum was established in the late 19th century and later named in honor of Arthur Edmund Seaman, a professor of mineralogy who played a key role in building the collection and advancing geological education at the university. Over time, the museum has grown to house an extensive collection of minerals, with particular strength in specimens from Michigan's Copper Country, including native copper and related minerals. It serves both as a public museum and an academic resource, supporting research, education, and outreach. Today, the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum is recognized for its high quality displays and its importance in preserving the mineralogical heritage of the region.

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