Mohawkite is a rare copper mixture found in only one place, on the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan. It was first discovered around 1900 in the Mohawk copper mine, which is where it got its name.
Colors & Patterns
Mohawkite is one of those beautiful materials that stand out for its desirable natural metallic designs, much like Josephine’s Crown, or gold in quartz.
Its colors range from metallic yellow to grey, and at times it has a blueish-green tarnish. The coloring comes from its two main ingredients, algodonite, and domeykite, both arsenic-rich copper minerals. Most have a beautiful spiderwebbing pattern, while other nuggets can be solid metallic. The most desirable pieces used in lapidary are the mixed metallics in quartz.
Where to Find Mohawkite
Mohawkite is becoming quite scarce to find, but it still tends to occasionally appear at shows or online sales. Much of what you find is very visible on the outside, being able to see if it has a good mixture of host stone with copper minerals, or if it’s pure algodonite & domeykite.
Safety First
Before working with this material, be prepared to use all protective measures when cutting and cabbing, as this type of…
