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Malachite & Azurite

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MGR769934

Malachite & Azurite

Classic Locality

Description Tabs

Description
Locality: 
Tsumeb Mine, Otavi Highlands, Namibia
Class: 
Combination
Size Range: 
Cabinet (10-18 cm)
Size: 
13 × 7.7 × 1.8 cm
Description

I don´t spend much time to write about the locality - for sure one of the most prominent classic localities world-wide and still the very best locality for Azurite on the whole planet. It set the standards for each comparison. And in my own evaluation - I also don´t know any locality which produced such impressive pseudomorph sample of Malachite/Azurite. Look at this piece - already the dimension is fantastic - the larger main crystal is 13cm!!! This is such an incredible dimension for Azurite - think of Milpillas (2 or 3cm), Chessy (even 2 or 3cm are exceptional) or Morocco (the largest crystal I ever saw was 6cm). But I also have to say that 13cm is exceptional even for Tsumeb. usually even 5 or 6cm is an outstanding dimension for Tsumeb. Things like this - over 10cm - are so rare and outstanding, I hold two in my hands in my whole life-time. 

The second diagonal crystal is still 7cm across. 

Most of the crystals is Malachite psd after Azurite - these Malachite areas are chatoyant, it is more or less impossible to capture this effect with the camera. So I only can assure that there is nothing dull! And the color shows a really great saturation; it is not this more grey green, it is a really vibrant, intense and strong green color. At the end points of the larger crystal you also can see larger areas with intense royal blue Azurite - the contrast is amazing! Finally: the specimen is developed as floater - on the base you can see some small inter-grown matrix grains, but it is not broken or extracted! At last a few words to the assemble: Most appreciated, high valued specimen always are very aesthetic and/or show a sculptural/figural architecture - same here; the specimen looks like a „Y“ - next to the dimension this assemble makes this specimen so special and remarkable. PS: hard to photograph - much better in person!

Mineral Data
What's on the rock

Malachite

Formula: 
Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
Strunz: 
5.BA.10
Crystal System: 
Monoclinic
Hardness: 
3.5 - 4.0

Azurite

Formula: 
Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Strunz: 
5.BA.05
Crystal System: 
Monoclinic
Hardness: 
3.5 - 4.0
Type Locality: 
Chessy copper mines, Chessy-les-Mines, Le Bois d'Oingt, Rhône, Rhône-Alpes, France...