Azurite

Help improve this record

No owner is registered for this specimen yet. If it's yours or you know more about it, you can add the owner, provenance, publications and other details.

A large open pocket across the front of this matrix is lined with sparkling deep blue crystals of azurite averaging 0.2 cm in size. Very slight micro-damage present as seen. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.Located in the Guichi District of Chizhou City, Anhui Province, China, the Liufengshan Mine is a notable leaching-accumulation type copper-iron deposit situated within Carboniferous limestone formations. Geologically, secondary copper enrichment occurred as metal-bearing solutions leached from surrounding rocks and accumulated within Quaternary gravels residing in limestone erosion caves. Commercial mining operations at the site primarily targeted copper ores, but the locality gained significant worldwide attention among mineral collectors and museums during active operations in the early 2000s. The mine became famous for producing exceptional aesthetic mineral specimens, particularly lustrous deep blue azurite crystals often associated with vibrant green malachite. Following the cessation of active mining in the mid-2000s, high-quality specimens from this locality have become scarce, making items preserved from its peak operating years highly valued in historic collection circles.