Colombian Copal

Colombian Copal With Insects - Swarm of large, clear mosquitos and other insects.

     Colombian copal is included in this book for two main reasons: its fantastic insect inclusions, which can surpass amber in their size, clarity, and numbers, and because it is often sold as amber, when in fact it is copal, an immature amber that is not fossilized.

The Colombian Copal Zone - Small deposits are found all around the country.

    Colombian copal comes from the Hymenaea Courbaril tree, still alive today. Its age is estimated to be anywhere from 50 years old to 2 million years old, but it is common to hear all sorts of different ages of this material depending on who you ask. No matter what age it is, its insect inclusions are fantastic.

The Hymenaeae Courbaril Tree - Which produces large amounts of resin to this day. With enough time to harden, this resin becomes copal.

Colombian Copal Mines      Colombian copal is mined differently from traditional amber mines. Smaller deposits are often found by enterprising individuals venturing into the jungle armed with machetes and digging tools. Once a deposit is located, it is marked, and a more serious mining operation is undertaken at a later date. These deposits are often quickly depleted, necessitating frequent searches for new material.

Mining for Copal in Santander, Colombia

Insects in Colombian Copal      Colombian copal produces as some of the most beautiful pieces full of insects. The abundance and quality of the inclusions in this material are staggering. It is possible to find pieces with 100 insects inside for a price lower than that of one insect inclusion from other deposits. Colombian copal is a favorite among many people, especially when large insects are preserved inside. If it were truly fossilized, like other ambers, it would be the best for insects. But it is not compared with amber because it is not fossilized, and will melt in alcohol.

A Swarm of Mosquitoes - In yellow copal. Somewhat rare, and sought after by collectors.

Large Copal With Swarm - With crane fly, leafs, termite, mosquitos and more all in one piece of clear copal.

Copal Full of Methane Termites - It may be hard to see, but this piece is full of hundreds of methane termites. These termites are considered very rare and collectable in Dominican amber. But in copal, they are normal in large swarms.

Colombian Copal Colors      Colombian copal tends to come in a few plain colors. Yellow, or clear. These tend to be more pale and clear than amber. If the copal is heat treated, then it may become red, or even green. There are no especially rare or valuable natural colors from this deposit.

Common Yellow Copal - Full of termites, wings and bubbles.

Heat Treated Copal - The piece is cooked in an autoclave. This process hardens the copal, making it more scratch resistant and durable to the alcohol test. It also gives it a red hue.

Colombian Copal Controversy      Colombian copal is a highly controversial material in the amber world due to the debate of whether it is fossilized or not. Copal sellers argue that it is true amber, because amber fetches a higher price. Some amber sellers call it “fake amber” to reduce the competition. Both materials possess beauty, but true amber is harder and more suitable for jewelry. Colombian copal will melt in alcohol, which is the de-facto test for distinguishing amber from copal. However, the most impressive aspect of Colombian copal is the incredible number, size, and quality of the insect fossils found within it. It is safe to say that this material presents the largest and most numerous insect inclusions of any resin material on the planet. If it were a true amber, it would be outstanding. But because it is copal, it gains less respect on the marketplace, and sells for a much lower price. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly      The Good: Colombian copal has a lot of very impressive insect inclusions. It also can come in very large pieces, and be affordable compared to amber.

     The Bad: Colombian copal will melt in alcohol. Copal is very soft and can scratch easily. It is not jewelry-grade unless it is heat-treated. Heat treatment is common, but is rarely disclosed.

     The Ugly: Colombian copal is commonly mis-labeled as amber, and sold at higher prices due to this. At best, the dealer doesn’t know the difference between copal and amber. At worst, it is falsely labeled as an amber from another location and intentionally sold as such. This is a very common scam when buying amber online. Buy copal here:

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How to Polish Amber

How to polish amber by hand Raw amber can easily be polished by hand. All you need is the right sandpaper, some water, some toothpaste, and a cloth. It really is that easy! This post will teach you how to turn this: into this! Materials You Will Need: • Sheet of waterproof sandpaper grits 80, 120, 220, 400, 600, 800, 1200, 2000. Or any combination of similar grits that starts with 80 and ends above 1,200.  • A tupperware of water that you can rinse and refill. • Toothpaste • A cloth, or jeans.T

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What is Mexican Amber? Age, Origin, and Characteristics.

     Mexican amber is approximately 28 million years old, dating back to early Miocene era. It is made from the now extinct Hymenaea Protera tree, the same as Dominican amber. This amber is found in Chiapas, Mexico, in the hills near the southern border. Mexican amber is often found alongside lignite, a type of fossilized wood. That is to say that both the amber, and the trees that made it, are in the ground together.Mexican Amber Mines     Mexican amber is mostly mostly dug in small mines chise