Copper Photos
Cochise College               
Photos of Minerals
Geology Home Page

Roger Weller, geology instructor

[email protected]     copyright 2010-R.Weller 

 
copper in basalt
Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan
     One of the modes of occurrence for native copper in the mines of northern
Michigan was copper filling gas bubble pockets in a vesicular basalt.  The
malleability of copper was then used in the processing of this type of ore.  The
material was subjected to powerful stamping machines.  The brittle basalt was
powdered by the process, while the malleable copper was simply flattened by
the stamping.  The powdered basalt was then simply separated from the larger
and heavier pieces to flattened copper.
 

copper                                                                                                                                  basalt4
Photo is copyright free for non-commercial educational uses.
Just credit photo to R.Weller/Cochise College.