Need Help to ID an Old Michigan Copper Ingot...

[Beaglejuice13]

Part of a collection of rocks and minerals from the U.P. of Michigan, but I can't say for certain where it originated. This ingot weighs 10.4 oz.

 

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[ANTIQUARIAN]

I find this ingot of great interest, as I sold mining equipment in Northern Ontario for years.
You have a very interesting mining history in the UP Michigan, of which I knew very little about.

I looked online for about 20mins and could find nothing on the N.H.E. Mine in Michigan.
Dave

"The Upper Peninsula (UP), also known as Upper Michigan, is the northern of the two major peninsulas that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. The peninsula is bounded on the north by Lake Superior, on the east by the St. Marys River, and on the south by Lake Michigan, the Straits of Mackinac, and Lake Huron. The peninsula's largest cities are Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, Menominee, Houghton, and Iron Mountain. The heavily forested land, soil types, short growing season and logistical factors (e.g. long distance to market, lack of infrastructure, etc.) make the Upper Peninsula poorly suited for agriculture. The economy is based primarily on logging and tourism; mineral mining - mainly iron, gold and copper - was a major industry during a "golden age" from 1890 to 1920.

The Keweenaw Peninsula is the northernmost part of the peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States, part of a larger region of the peninsula called the Copper Country. Copper Island is its northernmost section. Many copper mines have existed in the Copper Country of the U.S. state of Michigan. These include both large-scale commercial ventures and small operations. There are hundreds of ancient mining pits in and around the Copper Country area, especially on Isle Royale. Numerous small modern diggings exist around the area as well, including some around Fort Wilkins and the Copper Harbor Light

· Natick Gap Exploration Prospect - Phoenix, Keweenaw County, or Vaughsville, Keweenaw County (sources disagree)
· National mine - Rockland, Ontonagon County
· Native Copper mine - Delaware, Keweenaw County
· Naumkeag mine - Houghton, Houghton County
· Nebraska mine - Mass City, Ontonagon County
· New Arcadian Exploration - Ripley, Houghton County
· New Baltic Copper Company mine - Wolverine
· New Baltic Exploration prospect - Houghton County
· New York and Michigan Exploration mine - Keweenaw County
· North's Copper Pit - Houghton County
· North American Mine - Phoenix, Keweenaw County
· North Cliff Mine - Keweenaw County
· North Kearsarge mine - Kearsarge and Ahmeek
· North Lake Mine - Ontonagon County
· Northwestern mine - Central
· Nonesuch mine - White Pine, Ontonagon County; operated from 1867 to 1912

 

[Beaglejuice13]

I have searched extensively and all I've ever found was a blog post with one photo of the same exact ingot someone posted somewhere online. Unfortunately he was in the same boat, looking to identify the ingot. Although his inquiry received no replies, it was still important because it eliminated the possibility that someone had just engraved their initials and used it as a paperweight lol...

 

[cudamark]

Somehow I get the feeling it's part of a big electrical contact.

 

[Beaglejuice13]

I think this ingot might be a refinery souvenier paperweight.

Excerpt from oldcopper.org:

Copper refineries convert ore with a high mineral content to pure copper in forms that can be bundled in 25 ton lots and sent anywhere for trade or use in the production of copper and copper alloy products. In the good times when copper prices are high, they may make more money than the foundries and fabricators so can afford to produce interesting items as promotional gifts. All refineries work to similar agreed standards of purity to satisfy the trading requirements of the London (LME) and American Metal (AMEX) Exchanges. More than half of the production is of high grade to meet the needs of the electrical industry. Therefore refineries have a great pride in the quality and reputation of their own brand and the extent to which its purity and conductivity is better than standard.
Production was normally limited to ‘Refinery Shapes’ such as wirebars, ingots, cakes or billets; these products were used as feedstock by wire mills, sheet mills and foundries. The Refineries have their own three-letter brand abbreviations to identity their copper and these are often incorporated in their gifts. Small souvenirs were some of the most difficult to make when refineries used traditional extraction processes. If you know and admire the products normally made, you might think that refinery souvenirs do not look crude but are ideal for display. They are much less common now that production methods are frequently by continuous melting and casting, more integrated and environmentally friendly. Refinery souvenirs should be treasured.

 

[Robot]

I believe you are "Shockingly" correct!

Somehow I get the feeling it's part of a big electrical contact.

Made from copper with what appears to be an insert, I too believe it was used for the conducting of electricity...possibly the...New Hampshire Electric transmissions to Michigan?

 

[Red-Coat]

This may or may not be relevant, but NHE was a registered mark for the Nassau Smelting and Refining Company of 170 Fulton Street, New York.

Registration was granted on 13th July 1948 (the mark is now ‘expired’) but the registration was for the letters in stylised conjoined form as below:



That doesn’t mean the letters themselves were not previously in use in unregistered non-stylised form though. First use of the mark in commerce was in 1932.

Goods and Services for the company were listed as:
“COPPER INGOTS, COPPER INGOT BARS, COPPER WIRE BARS, AND COPPER ANODES OF ELECTROLYTIC QUALITY.”

 

[Beaglejuice13]

Red-Coat, I don't know how you knew where to look, but this has to be it! I'm thrilled. Thanks everyone who took time out of their day to help me solve this one. You guys are awesome!

 

[Beaglejuice13]

I find this ingot of great interest, as I sold mining equipment in Northern Ontario for years.
You have a very interesting mining history in the UP Michigan, of which I knew very little about.

I looked online for about 20mins and could find nothing on the N.H.E. Mine in Michigan.
Dave

"The Upper Peninsula (UP), also known as Upper Michigan, is the northern of the two major peninsulas that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. The peninsula is bounded on the north by Lake Superior, on the east by the St. Marys River, and on the south by Lake Michigan, the Straits of Mackinac, and Lake Huron. The peninsula's largest cities are Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, Menominee, Houghton, and Iron Mountain. The heavily forested land, soil types, short growing season and logistical factors (e.g. long distance to market, lack of infrastructure, etc.) make the Upper Peninsula poorly suited for agriculture. The economy is based primarily on logging and tourism; mineral mining - mainly iron, gold and copper - was a major industry during a "golden age" from 1890 to 1920.

The Keweenaw Peninsula is the northernmost part of the peninsula. It projects into Lake Superior and was the site of the first copper boom in the United States, part of a larger region of the peninsula called the Copper Country. Copper Island is its northernmost section. Many copper mines have existed in the Copper Country of the U.S. state of Michigan. These include both large-scale commercial ventures and small operations. There are hundreds of ancient mining pits in and around the Copper Country area, especially on Isle Royale. Numerous small modern diggings exist around the area as well, including some around Fort Wilkins and the Copper Harbor Light

· Natick Gap Exploration Prospect - Phoenix, Keweenaw County, or Vaughsville, Keweenaw County (sources disagree)
· National mine - Rockland, Ontonagon County
· Native Copper mine - Delaware, Keweenaw County
· Naumkeag mine - Houghton, Houghton County
· Nebraska mine - Mass City, Ontonagon County
· New Arcadian Exploration - Ripley, Houghton County
· New Baltic Copper Company mine - Wolverine
· New Baltic Exploration prospect - Houghton County
· New York and Michigan Exploration mine - Keweenaw County
· North's Copper Pit - Houghton County
· North American Mine - Phoenix, Keweenaw County
· North Cliff Mine - Keweenaw County
· North Kearsarge mine - Kearsarge and Ahmeek
· North Lake Mine - Ontonagon County
· Northwestern mine - Central
· Nonesuch mine - White Pine, Ontonagon County; operated from 1867 to 1912

I spend countless hours on Mindat researching the geology of the U.P. and Ontario. I like to refine my searches by the name of the mine, and I see a few on this list that I've never heard of before. Thanks for taking the time to share that!
As far as the ingot goes, I've still got it. The replies to this thread are still the only good leads I've had. There is still only one like it I've been able to find online, that gentleman was also looking for help identifying it.

 

[pepperj]

I spend countless hours on Mindat researching the geology of the U.P. and Ontario. I like to refine my searches by the name of the mine, and I see a few on this list that I've never heard of before. Thanks for taking the time to share that!
As far as the ingot goes, I've still got it. The replies to this thread are still the only good leads I've had. There is still only one like it I've been able to find online, that gentleman was also looking for help identifying it.

The ingot would come from the refineries.
Though some big companies have both, a (subsidiary refiner) to process the ores.
Redcoat nailed it once again in his research.

 

[Goldiver]

Here is a similar one a friend found 10 years ago. It is marked KUE. https://www.treasurenet.com/threads/copper-ingot-ohio-farm-find.317163/