CHRYSOCOLLA
Specimen chc-19
$ 360.00Dims: 6.1 x 5.7 x 2.5" (15.5 x 14.5 x 6.4 cm)
Wt: 3 lbs., 14.6 oz. (1.774 kg)
Inca de Oro, Chile
This large hand specimen consists of a thin crust of massive and reniform Chrysocolla that coats a portion of a brown, iron-rich host rock. There is much damage to this crust in the form of breakage, showing the Chrysocolla's massive habit and uneven fracture. Some of the most severely damaged areas show patches of compact, radiating malachite that was covered by the crust, whereas those areas that are undamaged are coated with a druse of fine, colorless and transparent quartz crystals. A few small areas show where the druse was either broken or worn off, or did not form in the first place (see the close-up image). These undamaged areas reveal the reniform, nodular habit of the material, with some nodules exceeding 0.3" (8 mm) in diameter. All have the standard deep aqua-blue coloration and dull waxy luster. The base rock is likely made up of goethite or a related iron oxide, and contains hollows that are lined with tiny, intergrown reniform nodules.