Hi there,
Here is my latest stack.
This is Native Copper from Ray Mine, Pinal Co, Az.
120 image stack 25µm step Zerene Pmax. 3.5x
Canon 7D, Mitutoyo 5x M Plan APO
Native Copper
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
I was born in a little copper mining town about 30 miles from Ray Arizona. My dad was a mining engineer and he had many mineral specimens from Ray.
The town of Ray was demolished as the large open pit that is there today replaced the underground mine that was first used to exploit the ore body. Many of the kids in my elementary school were part of the Ray diaspora.
Your specimen probably dates back to the underground days in the 1940's or 1950's. Open pit mines do not have much "touch" labor compared to underground mining. The earth moving equipment is so big the rocks don't get closely inspected. The operators are usually 20 feet up in the air! But in the underground days, it was not uncommon for a miner to take home a choice specimen in his lunch box. It was also forbidden as the bosses wanted the miners to concentrate on drilling and blasting and not collecting.
Usually crystalline specimens were chosen. Native copper is rather rare. Even in those days before E-bay and the internet there was a thriving market for mineral specimens.
Keith
The town of Ray was demolished as the large open pit that is there today replaced the underground mine that was first used to exploit the ore body. Many of the kids in my elementary school were part of the Ray diaspora.
Your specimen probably dates back to the underground days in the 1940's or 1950's. Open pit mines do not have much "touch" labor compared to underground mining. The earth moving equipment is so big the rocks don't get closely inspected. The operators are usually 20 feet up in the air! But in the underground days, it was not uncommon for a miner to take home a choice specimen in his lunch box. It was also forbidden as the bosses wanted the miners to concentrate on drilling and blasting and not collecting.
Usually crystalline specimens were chosen. Native copper is rather rare. Even in those days before E-bay and the internet there was a thriving market for mineral specimens.
Keith
Aloha