Datolite (pair)

specimen number:
8311381

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

description:
A matching pair of datolite, this one nodule that has been cut in half and polished. An excellent set.

The Clark Mine, located near Copper Harbor in Keweenaw County, Michigan, is a historically significant site situated at the northernmost reaches of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Geologically, the mine is unique because it exploited veins of native copper and associated minerals that cut through the Ashbed and Eagle Harbor flows of the Portage Lake Volcanics, rather than focusing solely on the typical amygdaloidal or conglomerate lodes found further south. The mine is world-renowned for its distinct mineralogy, particularly its exceptional specimens of datolite, which often occur as porcelain-like nodules in various colors, and for being the type locality for the rare copper silicate, clarkite. Historically, the property was first explored in the 1840s and was officially organized as the Clark Mining Company in 1853. Over the following decades, it saw several periods of activity under various owners, including French interests, with most significant mining and exploration efforts concluding by 1901. While its total copper production was modest compared to the giants of the district, the Clark Mine remains a premier destination for collectors due to the high quality and variety of the micro-minerals and datolite nodules found within its basaltic host rocks.

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