Description
AZURITE SPECIMEN
This is the polished blue azurite specimen. Dimensions: 2.0 x 1.4 x 1.0″ (5.1 x 3.5 x 2.5cm). Weight – 2.7oz (76 grams). Origin: Russia, Altai.
Some information about azurite:
Azurite is a soft, deep blue copper mineral produced by weathering of copper ore deposits. It is also known as Chessylite after the type locality at Chessy-les-Mines near Lyon, France. The mineral, a carbonate, has been known since ancient times, and was mentioned in Pliny the Elder’s Natural History under the Greek name kuanos (“deep blue,” root of English cyan) and the Latin name caeruleum.
Azurite crystals are monoclinic, and when large enough to be seen they appear as dark blue prismatic crystals. Azurite specimens are typically massive to nodular, and are often stalactitic in form. Specimens tend to lighten in color over time due to weathering of the specimen surface into malachite. Azurite is soft, with a Mohs hardness of only 3.5 to 4.
This blue stone has been found in Russia, Egypt, Namibia, France, Australia, Peru, Chile and the USA. It is a copper based stone which is commonly found in copper mines.
