Copper Agates

Lake Superior copper agates have their patterns replaced with copper in the form of banding, particles or masses. Some have agate banding seemingly etched in solid copper. Silver also occurs in some agates. Their high degree of mineralization produces complex patterns, colors and crystals not found in other Lake Superior agates. Many geodes contain crystals rivaling the best micromounts. They even appear within eyes.

With few exceptions, these agates are only found in three tiny sections of 100 year old copper mine tailings in the Keweenaw copper country of Northern Michigan. Collecting began in earnest only about 10 years ago. This is the first book on copper agates

The agates images give measurements of their sizes and indicates the mine where found. Many display separate photos in reflected light to show off their copper as for one agate on the cover. Such views make these agates so spectacular.

softbound, 88 pages, 174 closeup images:     $25.

Eye patterns are the most notable structures within copper agates. Copper agate mineralization appears to encourage eye formation to a far greater degree than in the glacial Lake Superior agates found elsewhere.

This is a companion book to the introductory Lake Superior Copper Agates. Although that book contains many photographs of agate eyes, these eyes are so prevalent that a larger book containing numerous examples of each specific type of eye agate was warranted. Anyone familiar with the eye agates so popular with agate collectors will be amazed at the variety and intricacy of eyes within copper agates. Many of these examples strain one’s ability to come up with explanations of how they could have formed.

softbound, 112 pages, 180 closeup images:    $25.

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The first in a trilogy of books featuring agate and mineral nodule specimens found at each of the three principal locations for copper agates. These books would not be possible without detailed documentation of the agates entered into the large copper agate image database, currently containing over 7,000 separate agate and mineral nodules, mostly cut and polished pairs.

Agates of each mine are quite distinct from one another, although a few agates of several subtypes from the Wolverine are similar to those from the CH-21. Those from the Wolverine have much more copper within them and a higher proportion of complex mineral nodules. Silver and datolite are also more common.

Significant numbers of copper agates from this mine were only discovered in 2009. Finding them now is much more difficult since they occur on level ground that has been extensively worked over.

There is much less copper in these agates, although the ones with the best copper banding rival the best from the Wolverine Mine. Agate banding is generally more beautiful and distinct than that in stones from the Wolverine. A number of unique agate subtypes have been uncovered and are subjects of chapters introducing them for the first time.

The “Calico Pigs” pictured on the cover is the most remarkable copper agate that I have encountered. It appears to be a pair of calico pigs gazing at each other. The one on the left appears to be love-struck, due to the heart shape in its pattern. The story of obtaining the similar picture of real calico pigs is told in the book.

This remote mine never was a producing copper mine, therefore it has a much smaller area of tailings. Agates are few and far between, so it will never be a site for much collecting. One must be content to spend a day looking to come up with a half dozen examples on a good day. A concerted effort was made to assemble enough examples to make a book possible. This included specimens from a few friends and the gracious help of Paul LaBonte, including loan of some specimens for photography.

These agates include the most colorful examples of copper agates. Copper banding is almost non-existent. Most is in the form of clusters of copper particles including filling of entrance channels extending through the matrix.

A large proportion of the few agates found have brown and white banding – not worthy of collecting. Some of the banded agates have very fine and distinct banding, quite different from that in the other mines only a few miles away.

 Most are imaged in matrix, since extracting them often destroys portions of their patterns and they are too rare to take the risk.

Hopefully, this book will show enough examples so that a collector can be satisfied with acquiring a specimen to compare with those shown in the book.

A memorable day was spent picking on the Wolverine Mine tailings with my friend John Harris after which he left to return home. The next morning at the same location, I uncovered a 200 lb. boulder. It contained many signs of copper nodules on its surface, so I spent the entire day reducing it to bare nodules and manageable pieces of matrix.

Ultimately, it produced over 200 nodules including some of the most spectacular copper agates, geodes and mineral specimens. It was remarkable to uncover such a treasure trove containing a wide variety of mineral types, all produced in a single piece of matrix less than 2 feet across.

Images of nearly all specimens have been collected into a single book in e-Book pdf format for sharing with research organizations at this time.

Note: If you place an order for more than one book total from this site, this book will now be sent to you free as an Acrobat pdf file with your tracking information.  Click on either cover image (at left) to see contents more clearly.