Azurite on Malachite after Azurite

specimen number:
8311359

location:
Morenci Mine, Greenlee Co. Arizona, USA

description:
From the early 1990s, a bed of green malachite replacing azurite crystals is hosting a second-generation of vivid blue bladed azurite crystals. This is in terrific condition.

The Morenci Mine, located in Greenlee County, Arizona, is one of the largest copper mining operations in the world and a flagship of the American mining industry. Geologically, it is a massive porphyry copper deposit where mineralized hydrothermal fluids intruded into Laramide-aged igneous and sedimentary rocks, followed by extensive supergene enrichment that concentrated the ore. The mine is famous for producing high-quality turquoise and a wide variety of secondary copper minerals, including azurite, malachite, and chrysocolla. Historically, mining in the district began in the early 1870s with underground efforts targeting high-grade veins, but it transitioned to large-scale open-pit mining in the late 1930s. The operation has been managed by several major companies over the decades, most notably Phelps Dodge and currently Freeport-McMoRan. Since the introduction of solvent extraction and electrowinning (SX/EW) technology in the 1980s, Morenci has remained a global leader in copper production, with continuous operations that have shaped the economic and geological landscape of southeastern Arizona for over 150 years.

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