Copper with Datolite, Prehnite

specimen number:
2062114

location:
Tamarack Mine, Houghton Co., Michigan, USA

description:
Crystallized wires of native copper, the most prominent one almost 3.0 cm in length, curving off of a datolite and prehnite matrix. In great condition, the specimen comes with a previous label from the A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum as shown at the end of the video. I am told that the DM in the item number on the museum label stands for display mineral. Very unique crystallization, this is quite choice.

The Tamarack Mine, located in Houghton County, Michigan, was one of the deepest and most technologically advanced copper mines in the Keweenaw Peninsula during its period of operation. Developed in the late 19th century, the mine worked native copper deposits along the Calumet conglomerate lode, a major stratiform deposit within the volcanic sequence of the Midcontinent Rift. The Tamarack shafts reached depths of over 5000 feet, making them among the deepest in the region at the time. Mining was carried out through extensive underground workings that followed the copper bearing conglomerate beds. Despite its early success and rich ore, the mine eventually declined in the early 20th century due to increasing costs and decreasing ore grades.

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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