Copper in Calcite

Item Description

Visions of Michigan instantly leap to mind when you pick up this small-cabinet Copper in Calcite from the well-known Onganja Mine in Namibia. While the Onganja area is known for its fine crystallized Coppers, rich combinations such as this are highly unusual and exactly what harken the comparisons with the great Michigan specimens. This is a really unique piece, with long, thin branches of crystallized, dendritic Copper winding their way around and through the Calcites. The largest Calcite is 1.7 cm across, and it is fascinating to gaze at the remarkable and aesthetic crystallized Coppers. The exposed Copper is oxidized and they transform into bright, pristine branches within the Calcites. On much of the piece, the included Copper crystals take on a larger, broader habit, almost as if they are spinel twins. The Calcite has even retained its usual, bright orange fluorescence. Both a great Calcite and a great Copper for the locality, these combinations have proven to be very elusive since the mine closed in 1974. This is a rich and unusual specimen.