Copper

specimen number:
8311418

location:
Chino Mine, Santa Rita, Grant Co., New Mexico, USA

description:

Beautifully crystallized grouping of native copper, the largest crystals measuring to 2.0 cm in size. This is in terrific condition and quite choice for the species and locality.

The Chino Mine, also known as the Santa Rita Mine, is a massive open-pit copper operation located in the Central Mining District of Grant County, New Mexico. Geologically, it is a premier example of a porphyry copper deposit, where mineralization occurred in association with the Santa Rita stock, a Laramide-aged granodiorite porphyry that intruded into Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. The deposit is famous for producing exceptional crystallized copper, which occurs in the upper oxidized zones of the ore body as complex spinel-twinned crystals, branching arborescent forms, and delicate dendritic sprays. Historically, the site is one of the oldest mining areas in North America, with native peoples and later Spanish colonists extracting copper as early as the late 1700s. Large-scale industrial quarrying and open-pit mining began in 1910 under the Chino Copper Company, making it one of the first low-grade porphyry copper mines in the world. As of 2026, the Chino Mine remains a significant active producer under the management of Freeport-McMoRan, continuing a century-long legacy of providing both industrial metal and world-class native copper specimens.

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