Copper

specimen number:
8311315

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

description:

A superb grouping with large thick well defined crystals of native copper. In super condition all around. Ex Don and Gloria Olson collection.

The Phoenix Mine, located in Keweenaw County, Michigan, was one of the earliest mining ventures in the Lake Superior copper district. Geologically, the mine was situated on several fissure veins, most notably the Phoenix and Robbins veins, which cut across the basaltic flows of the Portage Lake Volcanics. These veins hosted native copper in various forms, from small grains to massive pieces weighing several tons, often associated with minerals like calcite, prehnite, and quartz. Historically, the property was first explored in 1844 by the Lake Superior Copper Company, making it one of the oldest operations in the region. The mine underwent numerous reorganizations and name changes over the decades, seeing its most significant production periods between 1850 and 1886. Although there was a brief revival of activity around the turn of the century between 1899 and 1905, the mine eventually closed due to the erratic nature of the fissure deposits. Today, the site is marked by the remains of its old stamp mill and the nearby town of Phoenix, serving as a historic reminder of the early copper rush on the Keweenaw Peninsula.

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