significant Namibian Copper

Item Description

Large native coppers are rare for mines in Namibia, even those that produced tonnage of copper ore, and this aesthetic, arborescent, robust Copper is large and yet without the usual fragility so many of these seem to have. This impressive completely crystallized Copper has different habits including both tetrahexahedron crystals and some spinel twins. There is also a secondary growth phase of sharp, minute Copper crystals that is especially evident on top of the specimen. The piece is in amazingly pristine condition, and is even preserved with an exceptional antique patina that was not cleaned off by acid - as so many Namibian coppers were, to make them brighter and shiny. The acid cleaning ruins the natural patina, so we are lucky here! A number of crystals do show some flattened contacting from growth against other Copper crystals and the host rock. The back of the specimen is just as interesting as the display side showing the branching out of Copper growth from the basal trunk and an "Elephant head" shaped hook protruding out of the left side. Just an incredibly cool Copper from Onganja Mine, probably dating to the 1960s-70s and its heyday of specimen production when miners took specimens and sold them in the markets in Swakup and Tsumeb. This very large "heart-shaped" sturdy, 2 pound Copper specimen, is a 360 degree STATEMENT piece, exceptional for the mine (now long closed). Ex. Kurt Hefendehl.