Native Copper: Chino mine, Grant County, New Mexico, USA

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Native Copper: Chino mine, Grant County, New Mexico, USA

Description

Species: Native Copper

Locality: 5150 Bench, East Pit, Chino Mine, Bayard, Grant County, New Mexico, USA

Dimensions: 7.2 x 3.7 x 2.3 cm.

This is a very fine large spinel-twinned copper crystal perched on a matrix of smaller copper crystals from the 5150 Bench, East Pit, Chino Mine, near Bayard, Grant County, New Mexico, USA. The Chino mine is known for it’s world-class native copper crystals, which have not been found in significant examples since around 2011. I was lucky to recently obtain a small lot of excellent crystallized coppers from this famous locality. Unlike many coppers from Chino, these have not been chemically cleaned and have a beautiful and 100% natural cuprite and tenorite (red to black) patina. The spinel measures a little over 5 cm and has super aesthetics! Mark Cross photo.