Copper included in Calcite (ex Dave Bergman Collection)

Item Description

Here we have one of the great classics from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This area was the source of some of the finest crystals of Copper ever found in the world, along with beautiful distinctive crystals of Calcite which are included with Native Copper. This small cabinet sized specimen is a fine, sharp, translucent to gemmy, lustrous, colorless Calcite scalenohedron free of matrix which is tinted from Native Copper inclusions. This was probably collected between 70-100 years ago. I love the fact that the metallic rosy-pinkish color of the Copper inclusions can be seen floating inside the Calcite, which is a nice contrast against the aged patina you'll see on Copper that has been exposed to the air. The lower portion of the specimen features minor Copper (which has a much darker patina) along with a small bit of green Malachite. The piece is in great shape, although it's contacted on the base where the piece was removed from the pocket wall. Beautiful, classic and fairly uncommon on the market nowadays. Priced at $4,000 retail. From the collection of Colorado mining legend, Dave Bergman (the number 4871 can be seen on the base of the specimen). Dave is now retired, but among other things, he was the foreman and primary person in charge of recovering specimens at the famous Sweet Home Mine near Alma, Colorado during the late 1970s. He is also the maternal grandfather of Brian Kosnar. See Dave's photo mining at the Sweet Home on page 58 of Peter Bancroft's book "Gem and Crystal Treasures".