Epidote

specimen number:
2062120

location:
Centenial #6 Mine, Houghton Co., Michigan, USA

description:
Lustrous green crystals of epidote lining an open pocket across the front of matrix. In good condition. Collected on August 5, 1997.

The Centennial Number 6 Mine, located near Calumet in Houghton County, Michigan, was a significant native copper producer within the Keweenaw copper district. Geologically, the mine was developed along the Kearsarge Lode, an amygdaloidal basalt flow where native copper precipitated within the vesicles and fractures of ancient lava. This mineralization occurred during the Mesoproterozoic Era as part of the Midcontinent Rift System, often accompanied by minerals such as quartz, epidote, and calcite. Historically, the Centennial Mining Company saw various stages of development, but the Number 6 shaft became a primary focus during the early to mid-1900s. Under the ownership of the Calumet and Hecla Consolidated Copper Company, the mine operated until the late 1960s, with a brief attempted reopening in the mid-1970s by Homestake Mining Company before final closure. Today, the mine is remembered for its deep vertical shafts and its role in the industrial legacy of Michigan's Copper Country.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.