FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[vic rzonca]

In doing a little prospecting near the Westfield river in Chester MA. recently, I came upon what I'm sure is a vein of native copper in what I guess you would call green ground. No doubt it, it is copper, but very tarnished. My question is, should I clean it to high light the copper, or leave it in it's found state. And if I were to clean it, what would work best? I also wonder if native copper has been found in Chester. Is there a one stop source for mineral listings found at different locations? Thanks

[vic rzonca]

To partly answer my own question, Mindat has native copper listed for Mass. but not for Chester. Is there a more complete reference?

[Jordi Fabre]

About the cleaning and considering that as you say the copper looks "very tarnished" I suggest to you to use the electrolysis process.

The way to do it is very well explained on this post of FMF-Spain -> https://www.foro-minerales.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=59563#59563 If you can read Spanish language or maybe some generous soul could translate it to English language? ;-)

[Peter Megaw]

Vic...before you do anything irreversible I suggest you contact Dr. Carl Francis at Harvard, they have a huge New England collection and he will be able to tell you very quickly about known occurrences near Chester. If you don't have his contact I can give it to you in a PM

As to cleaning...and before electrolysis...I would give it a good power wash first. This will let you know whether removing the tarnish will enhance the piece(s) or not.

Suerte!

[Jordi Fabre]

[vic rzonca]

Good advice Pete, I have gone at it with soap and water, and the toothbrush has removed some of the offending coating revealing a bright copper on one bit of the protruding matter. I contacted Carl and he gave me a reference to look into. Really not much info on metals in MA. It seems to be associated with a serpentine rock in the area, the vein itself is in a brecciated section of a much larger formation. I wonder about other metals that may also be in association. Thank you, Jordi, the process sounds interesting. I will definitely give it a try when needed.

[Rick S.]

I have seen small native copper occurring in many places. It seems to appear when it appears. I found native copper in lime stone quarries in Western CT and have seen signs of copper in the Great Barrington area in a couple of small road cuts. It is small occurances and not an indication of any major vein. While Mindat only lists one occurrance in (Newtown) In would see if you can locate a copy of a geological survey for Western MA and see wht that has to say.