1.4" Rough Native Copper And Crystal Quartz Matrix Mineral Specimen Morocco

Location: Morocco

Weight: 0.3 Ounces

Dimensions: 1.4 Inches Long, 1.2 Inches Wide, 0.5 Inches Thick

The item pictured is the one you will receive.

Native copper is a naturally occurring element that crystallizes in the cubic (isometric) system, usually forming dendritic, arborescent, or massive shapes instead of distinct cubes. In Morocco, especially in the Anti-Atlas mountains and the Tazekka region, native copper often occurs alongside quartz. This association is typically caused by hydrothermal activity, where copper-rich fluids move through fractures in quartz veins or volcanic rocks. These specimens show reddish-orange metallic copper filaments or "wires" within or on transparent to milky hexagonal quartz crystals.

The formation process involves the reduction of copper-bearing solutions. In many Moroccan deposits, such as those in Kerrouchen or Touissit, primary copper sulfides are oxidized and reduced to produce native copper. Quartz acts as a stable, chemically inert matrix that protects the fragile copper structures from weathering. Native copper has a Mohs hardness of 2.5 to 3 and a high specific gravity around 8.9, contrasting with quartz’s hardness of 7 and vitreous luster.

Morocco is known worldwide for its diverse mineral types, with native copper being a notable find in the basaltic flows and sedimentary contact zones of the Atlas Mountains. The copper often appears as "rough" or "hackly" masses, characterized by jagged, sharp edges formed during crystallization. These specimens are highly prized by mineralogists for their striking contrast between the metallic luster of copper and the transparent crystalline quartz.