Great South Gems & Minerals

• Copper cubes, poured •
(Michigan)

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• Copper cubes, poured •
(Michigan)

native copper - metal Copper

Pure copper cubes. The copper has been melted and formed into these interesting solid cubes. Unusual.

100% pure Michigan copper poured into spheres. The outside has been coated with a light coat of polyurethane to prevent them from tarnishing. Hardness 4 to 4-1/2. Native copper commonly develops in basalt of volcanic rocks by the reaction of copper-bearing solutions on the iron-oxide minerals in the basalt. It also forms in disseminated hydrothermal replacement deposits. This material is from the mines of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan.

Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula is the most important locality in the world for pure native copper.

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Mining began in 1845 and continued until 1968. Over 5 million tons of refined copper were recovered from Michigan's copper mines. In the early 1900's, it led the world in copper production and "Lake Copper" was the purity standard to which other copper was compared.

Long before the mining operations of the past century began in the Keweenaw, pre-historic peoples mined copper from the mineral-rich veins.

Large native copper specimen from Michigan. I think these huge copper pieces were actually poured into these shapes. The pieces vary slightly in shape and size, but the average weight is two pounds. Great looking copper specimens. Will make a great paper weight. The specimens have a very thin coat of a clear acrylic to prevent them tarnishing.

The metal Copper has been used for literally thousands of years Copper was known to some of the oldest civvilizations on record, and has a history of use dating back at least 10,000 years. In what is now northern Iraq, a copper pendant was found that dates to 8700 BC to 5000 BC. Copper smelting appears to have developed in a number of places in the ancient world at about the same time, possibly because of it being a simple process.

In the Americas, copper is known to have been mined in what is now Michigan and Wisconsin by Native Americans as far back as 6000 BC. Copper has been mined in many areas of the United States including Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Tennessee, Vermont, and Montana. See Float Copper.

Over the centuries, copper has been used for many purposes including the making of idols, the making of tools, mirrors, burial containers, jewelry, helmets, beads and even copper plumbing in a pyramid that dates back to about 3000 BC.

Copper has a high thermal and electrical conductivity, second only to silver among pure metals. Copper is malleable and ductile, a good conductor of heat and, when very pure, a good conductor of electricity.

Today, copper is used extensively in many products, some of which are: Copper wiring, Electronics, Printed Circuit boards, Vacuum tubes, Cook ware, Coins, Copper doorknobs, copper tubing in air-conditioning systems, nails, magnetrons in microwave ovens, and for copper tubing used in homes and automobiles. In the U. S. Nickles are 75.0% copper by weight and only 25% nickle.
See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper

See Float Copper.
See Native Copper, Michigan.
See Copper spheres.

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