Azurite from Morenci Mine, Morenci, Arizona, USA - image 1
Azurite from Morenci Mine, Morenci, Arizona, USA - image 2

Azurite from Morenci Mine, Morenci, Arizona, USA

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A grouping of lustrous deep blue bladed azurite crystals with very little attached matrix. Minor green malachite present. In good condition with slight micro damage present. The Morenci Mine, located in Greenlee County, Arizona, is one of the oldest and largest copper-producing operations in North America, with mining history dating back to the late 1860s and early 1870s following initial discoveries by pioneers like Army Captain Willcox and the subsequent involvement of the Lezinsky brothers. Geologically, the deposit is a massive porphyry copper system centered on intrusive monzonite porphyry cutting through Precambrian granite and Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, where extensive supergene enrichment created vast blanket deposits of copper ores. Historically, operations transitioned from early underground high-grade extraction to massive open-pit mining and modern heap leaching, turning Morenci into a cornerstone of the American copper industry and a notable producer of fine secondary copper mineral specimens.

Product details

SizeThumbnail
Dimensions1.6 x 1.1 x 0.6 cm
Added on10/09/2026
Current owner
Unknown Owner
Acquired
Oct 2026
Previous owners
DateCollectorAcquisition price
—Weinrich MineralsNot disclosed

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Azurite
Mineral guide
Learn about Azurite
deep blue copper carbonate with prismatic and botryoidal forms; alters to malachite; Mohs 3.5–4; identify color, habit, and notable localities.
Azurite
Regional guide
Azurite from Morenci Mine
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Locality guide
Morenci Mine
A collector's guide to Morenci Mine, USA: its geology, mining history and notable minerals, illustrated with the 269 specimens documented from this locality on EarthWonders.