Azurite with Malachite

specimen number:
1052518

location:
Morenci Mine, Greenlee Co., Arizona, USA

description:

Attractive vibrant blue crystal groupings of azurite to 0.5 cm are in size across the top of this matrix with green velvety botryoidal malachite. This is in very good condition. The specimen comes with an antique label as shown at the end of the video and was originally acquired through American dealer Lazard Cahn. The piece is in perfect condition. Note that the locality provided on the old label is incorrect. That is not unusual in these older specimens as everything and that time. Seen to have been labeled as coming from Bisbee. Remember that the area was quite remote at the time. This piece would have been collected around the year 1900. Very fine old classic Arizona specimen.

The Morenci Mine is situated in Greenlee County, Arizona, and represents one of the largest copper-producing complexes in the world. Geologically, it is a classic porphyry copper deposit formed during the Laramide Orogeny approximately 55 to 57 million years ago. The mineralization resulted from the intrusion of multiple granitic and monzonitic porphyry stocks into older Paleozoic sedimentary rocks and Precambrian basement. As these magmas cooled, they released metal-rich hydrothermal fluids that fractured the surrounding rock, depositing copper minerals like chalcopyrite and pyrite in a vast network of veinlets called a stockwork. Over millions of years, weathering and groundwater movement led to "secondary enrichment," where copper was leached from the surface and redeposited at depth as high-grade chalcocite. Historically, the district was first explored in the 1860s, with underground mining beginning in the 1870s. The operation transitioned to massive open-pit methods in 1937 and has since grown into a colossal industrial landscape that has produced billions of pounds of copper, significantly shaping the economy and history of the American Southwest.

For mineral collectors, Morenci is iconic for its breathtaking secondary copper minerals, particularly its world-class azurite and malachite. The mine is famous for producing "Morenci Blue" turquoise, which is highly prized for its deep color and distinct silver-colored pyrite matrix. During the peak years of production, miners frequently encountered large vugs lined with brilliant, deep-blue azurite crystals and velvety green malachite in various habits, including botryoidal (grape-like) masses and fibrous sprays. While modern large-scale mining focuses on industrial ore processing, historical specimens from the Morenci district remain benchmarks for American mineralogy. These pieces are often found in association with white kaolinite or dark gossan, creating a striking aesthetic contrast that makes them centerpiece items in museum and private collections globally.

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