15PR36 Copper
Casapalca Mine, Casapalca, Huarochiri Province, Lima Department, Peru
21x 16.7x 14.0 cm
$660
A very large and exceedingly rare example of Peruvian copper. For a country that lies next to one of the most prolific copper producers in the world (Chile) and which produces a fair amount itself, the native element is absurdly difficult to find. As an indicator of scarcity, Mindat only shows a single picture. This is a big, heavy chunk of the stuff from the Casapalca Mine.
This one has a decent patina-- I saw a couple unprepared ones-- they are basically just masses of copper in some chalky material that has turned green from copper leaching through it. This one was not over-cleaned.
