NATIVE COPPER

This beautiful, natural “sculpture” of copper shows neatly arranged dendritic branches of distinct crystals, formed in a thin layer as a result of growth between bedding planes in the sandstone. On one corner is a particularly large spinel-law twinned crystal, and the whole thing looks like some kind of creature, perhaps a seahorse or dragon, with said larger crystal being the head. A surprisingly wide range of colors are also present in the patina, with the majority being dominated with areas of red and black, and some little patches showing bronze and teal. The Itauz Mine had its most productive years between 2005 and 2007 - during which this was likely extracted - and the oxidized zone has since been depleted. Not only is this an excellent locality piece, it's an all-around marvelous piece of natural art that catches the eye and gets attention by its elegant formation.