Copper 'Native' (Specimen #300011)

Mineral(s): Native Copper 

Location: Saneraum Hills, Victoria Island, Inuvik Region, Northwest Territories, Canada

Size: 10.7 x 8.0 x 1.6 cm  

Weight: 193.9 grams 

Description: A rare and attractive native copper specimen from an unusual location. The specimen is solid copper with a unique patina and malachite coating from having been exposed on the tundra surface. The specimen is heavy (solid copper) and is the last one of seven specimens that were acquired just before the Bancroft Gemboree.  At the show, a large, heavy dendritic specimen was sold to a prominent private collector and the balance (5 specimens) were acquired by the Canadian Museum of Nature to add representative specimens to the national collection from Victoria Island (none exist currently). This last specimen is a once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire a museum quality copper specimen from a Canadian arctic location.

A truly rare and unique native copper specimen from a vein exposure on the west coast of Victoria Island in the Canadian arctic. Infrequently, sheets of copper were exposed on the ground surface. These copper occurrences were originally in hard rock, but over a long geologic period, a portion of the copper vein was pushed to the surface by freeze-thaw actions.