Keweenawite Explained

Keweenawite is a discredited mineral species. It was described as an arsenide of copper, nickel, and cobalt containing 39% to 54% copper, 9.7% to 20% nickel, and 0.9% cobalt.[1] Keweenawite was discovered in July 1901, in the Mohawk Mine, Keweenaw County, Michigan. George A Koenig analyzed and named the copper ore.[2]

History

Keweenawite was first discovered, in July 1901, located on the fifth level of the Mohawk Mine between Shaft No. 1 and Shaft No. 2. Fred Smith, mine superintendent, sent specimens to George A Koenig for analysis. Koenig deemed it to be a new mineral species and named it keweenawite, after its discovery locality, Keweenaw County.[3]

However, a re-analysis of the material in 1971 found the keweenawite to be a mixture of the copper and nickel arsenates: α-domeykite, niccolite and rammelsbergite.[4]

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://books.google.com/books?id=I5w3AQAAMAAJ&q=keweenawite&pg=PA514 World Mines Register, Volumes 4–5
  2. https://books.google.com/books?id=Sp83AQAAMAAJ&dq=keweenawite&pg=PA22 World Mines Register, Volume 2
  3. https://books.google.com/books?id=-007AQAAIAAJ&dq=keweenawite&pg=PA410 The American journal of science, Volume 164
  4. Moore, Paul B.; Copper-Nickel Arsenides of the Mohawk No. 2 Mine, Mohawk, Keweenaw Co., Michigan, American Mineralogist, V. 56, July–August, 1971 PDF