Copper Minerals: My Favorite

I have lived in the “Copper State” of Arizona for 65 years so it should not surprise readers that copper minerals are among my favorites to collect.

- BOB JONES

What makes copper minerals one of my favorites is the variety of copper species that are superbly crystallized and attractive lapidary gems. Just think of the remarkable objects we have made and created with cutting-grade malachite and azurite. The copper phosphate turquoise has been a treasured gem by various cultures for centuries. Other copper minerals which make great gemstones include chrysocolla and shattuckite.

COPPER

Leading the parade of colorful copper species is the native metal itself. Of the dozens of metal elements found on earth, only gold and copper have noteworthy colors. The colors we see in gold and copper are due to each element’s unpaired electrons absorbing most of the light energy that strikes the surface, but not all. In copper, the reddish wavelengths of light energy are not absorbed and are reflected for us to see. In gold, it is the yellow wavelengths that are not fully absorbed but reflected, so we see them. Every mineral collector should hold copper in some regard because of the significant role copper minerals played in the emergence of humanity from the Stone Age.

COLLECTING COPPER MINERALS