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The first mineral boom in the United States occurred in 1843 when people from all over the continent began to chase the copper, silver and iron of Michigan’s upper peninsula. These mines were in commercial operation for more than a hundred years and produced over 14 billion pounds of copper. It was Michigan copper that helped fuel the US industrial revolution. Most remarkable about the copper deposits of the Michigan Upper Peninsula is that the copper occurred as the native metal; the greatest deposit of native copper in the world. As hot copper and silver-laden solutions percolated through volcanic and sedimentary rocks, and cooled, pure copper and silver was deposited in the voids. The masses of native copper and silver display beautiful arborescent and crystalline shapes. Shown above is a beautiful little mass of native copper typical of this locale. (#M220, priced at $2.50).
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