What is significant about the Ontonagon Boulder?
The boulder is a relic of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and was well known to Native Americans in its location on the west branch of the Ontonagon River, in what is now Victoria Reservoir….
| Ontonagon Boulder | |
|---|---|
| Discovered by | Alexander Henry |
| Present location | National Museum of Natural History |
How much is the Ontonagon Boulder worth?
In the final settlement, Eldred received $5,664.98. In today’s economic value, that would be approximately $204,469.23 At the time, the copper boulder was worth, based on copper prices at the time, about $500, or about $18,046.71 today.
What is a copper nugget?
Copper Nugget Copper is a ductile metal with an excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is a fairly soft metal and has a pinkish or peachy color. These nuggets come from the so-called “Copper Country” of Michigan, where copper is found in an unusually pure state.
How much is a copper nugget worth?
Copper is only worth about $3 per pound, but natural specimens are worth considerably more than that. Collectors pay a premium for nice nuggets and specimens that is not based on the “melt value” of the copper.
Why are there no more copper mines in Michigan?
The copper mined in Michigan help fuel the industrial revolution that occurred in the US, because copper products were needed by the growing nation. All mining of native metallic copper ceased in the UP in 1969. Currently, Arizona leads the nation in copper production.
Are copper nuggets real?
Native Copper Nuggets are all natural copper from the Keweenaw Peninsula of upper Michigan. These nuggets have been tumbled to remove the host rock, have not been heated or smelted in any way. The pieces of copper photographed are representative of the material and may not be the exact pieces you receive.
What can I do with copper nuggets?
Copper Nugget is an Item introduced in Loomian Legacy – Veils of Shadow, which can be given to any Loomian. It can be found by using a Strong Magnet on a piece of protruding metal in Galvanite Cave with a 15% chance. Each Copper Nugget can only be used for one evolution.
How do you remove copper from rocks?
Copper mining is usually performed using open-pit mining, in which a series of stepped benches are dug deeper and deeper into the earth over time. To remove the ore, boring machinery is used to drill holes into the hard rock, and explosives are inserted into the drill holes to blast and break the rock.
Is float copper worth anything?
The weight of the float copper is estimated at [26.6 tons, or 53,100 pounds (24,085kgs)]. Copper nuggets from the upper Michigan Peninsula generally have a copper purity of 90% to 97%. So, using a purity of only 90% copper by weight, the copper specimen has a current conservative metal value estimate of $101,000!
Where is the purest copper in the world?
The mine with the highest grade of copper in the world is Sudbury (also known as Victoria) in Canada, where the grade of ore is nearly 8%. The underground mine is found in a unique geological area, caused by a meteorite crashing into Earth nearly 2 billion years ago.
What are copper nuggets worth?
What is the Ontonagon Boulder?
Sign commemorating the Ontonagon Boulder. The Ontonagon Boulder (/ˌɒntəˈnɑːɡən ˈboʊldəɹ/) is a 3,708 pound (1682 kg) boulder of native copper originally found in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States, and now in the possession of the Department of Mineral Sciences, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.
Who was the first to discover the Ontonagon?
In 1667, the Jesuit missionary Claude Dablon made his way up the Ontonagon and confirmed the existence of the fabled rock.
How did Henry Schoolcraft get to Ontonagon River?
During a geological voyage around the perimeter of Michigan in 1820, Henry Schoolcraft first reached the mouth of the Ontonagon River on June 27. Schoolcraft and his fellow voyagers, led by four Native Americans, journeyed up the Ontonagon River in two canoes.