Copper

specimen number:
8311209

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

description:
Well crystallized group of native copper. In great condition.

The Northwestern Mine, located in Keweenaw County, Michigan, was part of the early development of copper mining in the Keweenaw Peninsula during the mid 19th century. The mine worked native copper deposits associated with the Keweenaw lode system, where copper occurs within amygdaloidal basalt flows and conglomerate beds formed by ancient volcanic activity. Operations were carried out through underground shafts and drifts that followed mineralized zones, although the mine was never as large or productive as some of the major properties in the region. Like many early Keweenaw mines, activity was influenced by fluctuating copper prices and the uneven distribution of ore, leading to periods of intermittent operation before eventual abandonment. Today, the Northwestern Mine is part of the historical record of early copper exploration and development in Michigan's Copper Country.

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