AZURITE
Specimen azu-43
$ 70.00Dims: 4.0 x 3.8 x 1.7" (10.2 x 9.7 x 4.3 cm)
Wt: 10.9 oz. (309 g)
Morenci Mine, Morenci, Arizona, U.S.A.
This hand specimen consists of a chunk of goethite/limonite host rock on which rest at least 20 small Azurite "rosettes" Each rosette is made up of several round, intergrown radiating Azurite blades. Many of these rosettes are damaged, but a hollow area in the host rock provides protection for at least 10 of them. They do not exceed 0.4" (1.0 cm) in diameter or 0.2" (5 mm) in thickness, and have excellent form- the blades that make up the clusters have sharp edges and clean faces that possess a moderate to bright pearly luster. All have a very bright azure-blue coloration that contrasts with tbe red-brown host rock, and clusters are only dimly translucent, at best. Several other, smaller hollows in the host rock contain intergrown Azurite blades that have a deeper blue color and a brighter, almost vitreous luster, and all are accompanied by a few random, rounded sprays of compact malachite needles. I think that a few of these rosettes, though small, are exceptional!