Helix. You need to find out what this is. They are right it may be worth way more than melt. I would ask the guys in precious metals or even possibly rocks and gems. We see copper culture artifacts but not in the natural state.May be worth something as a specimen and I wouldnot scratch it anymore. Bad move. Even in the what is it section they could put you in the right direction.
These photos say everything.. Natural! Its a huge Nuget or some type of metor!!!!!!! ? I don't know?? Its one of my best top 3 interesting finds for sure! lol.
Cool natural copper specimen, there's a large area in the upper Michigan peninsula that was mined 1000's of years ago. Your sample could of been from this area used in trade or a souvenir. Just some thought on the find.
Actually it looks like another rock a guy found. He posted it on another thread. I'm on a iPod so I can't paste thread links. But his is about a football size. When I seem the updated photo u just posted it reminded me of it.
Alright found it. It under the heading , found a rock that detected as a half dollar/ dollar.
That is a seriously good find bro ! I would try that area again with a large coil and bring a shovel, it might be possible that this ore rock was moved by a glacier to where you found it!
ClovisOak mentioned Oklahoma,is that where you found it?Didn't the Spaniards mine/smelt copper somewhere in the Oklahoma hills? Then shipped it over the great Spanish road into old Mexico.
Some how this was posted twice? Anyway I found it at an older home site at 6" down in the dirt so I don't think its natural glacially from the area. I think it was used as a door stop or something due to the fact it almost sets flat on one side. At first I thought it was a "hot rock" till I noticed it was very green. Then tried to pick it up! Way to heavy to be stone for its size. Meteors are mostly iron I think,, so it cant be that... It was found in the mid-west so Im thinking if its natural or float copper its from u.p. Michigan area were these are found naturally. For sure this is my best unexpected mystery find to date! Thanks for all the info
So I have learned a lot about "float copper" in the last few days. If anyone knows an expert out there? That wants detailed pics.. Is it real or.. Tell me some kids melted a pile of pennies!
I don't know?? but if i was a betting man I would say its the real deal. I mean come on. Who would just go out into the woods, melt 35lbs of copper and then leave it.. Not in a mold or anything. Strange, it must be drift copper.
Pure Float Copper is found in the fields of Northern Michigan off Lake Superior.
Copper in the volcanic rocks was deposited eons ago and was mined by natives and later modern man.
In the early days it was sticking out of crevices in the rock bed.
Largest mass copper found under ground was a 500 ton slug. The Glaciers did grind and pick up carry many pieces away.
Copper was also traded by the natives and used for tools. Many mines gave up millions of tons of copper a year until the copper became too deep and expensive to extract. There is some value to what you found to a rock collector.
9000 lb Sample http://www.flickr.com/photos/auvet/5874583277/in/photostream/