large Copper with Chrysocolla

Item Description

Dramatic, sculptural, uncommon and colorful large two-sided native sheet copper from the well-known traprock basalt Chimney Rock Quarry of New Jersey. Vivid variable-blue embedded Chrysocolla is a stunning accessory, contrast and complement. The overall form of the moderately lustrous copper is arborescent with platy copper and crude feathery spinel-twins predominating. The two attached blocky mudstone fragments at the top with another smaller piece near the bottom being additional fantastic accessories. Most people think of Zeolite Group species, Prehnite and Calcite from the New Jersey traprock quarries, but the Chimney Rock Quarry has produced excellent specimens of Native Copper. The Chimney Rock Quarry was excavated on top of the old Chimney Rock Copper Mine and has been known for its copper minerals for many years. Although the copper minerals occur in the veins that transect the basalt, most of the copper is found in the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic (225 to 190 million years ago) Passaic Formation sediments immediately beneath the basalt. The Passaic Formation beds are red-bed mudstones (MINDAT). Molten copper deposition in the laminated mudstones gave this striking piece its shape. An outstanding and rare large copper with chrysocolla from the locale.