Description
Detailed Description
This matrix specimen hosts a myriad of copper crystals, in groups and intergrown branches. The crystals are well-defined and some are incredibly sharp – they look super under magnification (you can get lost in there for a while with magnification). Many of the copper crystals have a patina. This specimen looks good all around and from multiple display angles – one could choose to feature either main side forward on display. Looks really nice!
About these Rocklands Mine Copper Specimens
Copper was discovered in the area of present-day Cloncurry in the late 1860s, and many mines have been operated in the district since then. This a semi-arid and hot region, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 50C – these are tough prospecting and collecting conditions! The Rocklands Mine was a relatively recent producer, with the first operations beginning in 2005. It was an open pit operation that exploited a significant sulphide zone and a much smaller oxide zone. These copper specimens were collected during a specimen recovery project in the oxide zone from August to October, 2017. The Rocklands Mine is no longer in operation.