Paratacamite

specimen number:
2062381

location:
Centennial #2 Mine, Houghton Co., Michigan, USA

description:
Green crystalline and massive paratacamite on matrix. Neat locality example for the species. Identification confirmed by SEM by George Robinson at Michigan Tech University in 2000.

The Centennial #2 Mine in Houghton County, Michigan, targeted native copper deposits within the Kearsarge amygdaloid lode of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Originally organized as part of the broader Centennial property operations that began in the 1860s, the specific shaft operated under Calumet and Hecla control from 1923 until it closed in 1931, reopened in 1944 to support World War II production, and ultimately closed permanently in 1966.

Paratacamite is a green halide mineral characterized by its vitreous luster, trigonal crystal system, and a Mohs hardness of three. Often associated with copper deposits, it shares a structural similarity with atacamite and exhibits a distinct light green streak.

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