Malachite Pseudomorph After Azurite

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No matter how many specimens you see and handle from the remarkable Tsumeb mine in Namibia, always be prepared for something different and quite unexpected. This magnificent pseudomorph after Azurite is coated in a continuous carpet of leafy-emerald-green micro-crystalline Malachite, but the mineral replacing the Azurite is Dolomite, an exceedingly rare pseudomorph for Tsumeb. As the accompanying dimensions indicate, this single crystal is almost 11 cm long by 6 cm wide. The lower half of the reverse side reveals the compact granular nature of the creamy-white Dolomite inner core, and although not visible, would certainly appear replace the whole of the former Azurite crystal. Having pseudomorphed the Azurite, the carbonate chemistry obviously changed whereby the drusy coating of Malachite was then deposited over the Dolomite. A rare and superb specimen.