Azurite

specimen number:
2242072

location:
Bisbee, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA

description:
The top of this matrix is mostly covered with glistening deep blue crystallized azurite. Minor malachite present as well. In good condition.

Bisbee, Arizona, located in the Mule Mountains of Cochise County, is one of the most significant mineral districts in American history, famous for its prolific production of copper, gold, and silver. Geologically, the region is defined by the Warren Mining District, where a large porphyry copper system intruded into Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, such as the Martin and Escabrosa Limestones, resulting in massive replacement ore bodies. The district is celebrated for its incredible variety of secondary copper minerals, particularly the world-class specimens of azurite and malachite found in its oxidized zones. Historically, mining and quarrying began in the late 1870s following the discovery of copper by Jack Dunn, leading to the formation of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company and later the expansion by Phelps Dodge Corporation. Industrial operations flourished for nearly a century, transitioning from deep underground shafts like the Czar and Campbell to massive open-pit mining at the Lavender Pit in the 1950s. While large-scale commercial mining concluded in 1975, the legacy of Bisbee remains a focal point for geological study and heritage tourism through 2026.

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