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Copper in natural form

I am learning about copper, what does it look like in its natural form

Sophey
- New York
2007

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2007

Good afternoon:

Do a Google image search for "native copper" and you should get some good pics.

As an aside, it should be mentioned that native copper is rare, except for a few locations, most notably the Keweenaw peninsula of Michigan. Usually it is found in nature as a sulfide, oxide, carbonate, or some other compound.

Steve Bizub
- St Louis, Missouri

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2007

You're in New York, so you're in luck. Go to the Museum of Natural History at 81st Street and Central Park West. In the Hall of Minerals and Gems, they have some fine native copper samples for you to look at. I believe most of them are from the massive copper lode located near Bisbee, AZ.

Copper is not commonly found native. I once had the experience, in Death Valley, CA, of seeing a copper mine, some 80 years after it shut down. I had to drive on one of those roads that the Park Ranger recommends you stay off of. :)

There was a massive pile of mine spoils, all green, plus some interesting secondary deposits from weathering. As it turned out, it was what remained of what was called the "Greenwater Copper Bubble". Apparently there was never
enough copper to make the operation pay. They did sell a lot of stock to some unfortunate investors, though.

Out there, they define the word "miner" as a "liar who owns a hole in the ground."

Dave Wichern
Consultant - The Bronx, New York