Azurite with Malachite

specimen number:
2063423

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

description:
Attractive bladed crystals of azurite covering at least 50% of the top of this green malachite covered matrix. The clusters are made up of small sparkling blue bladed crystals of azurite. In great condition. Collected by Ray DeMark on September 5, 1992 and comes with his label.

The Morenci Mine, located in Greenlee County, Arizona, is one of the oldest and largest copper-producing operations in North America, with mining history dating back to the late 1860s and early 1870s following initial discoveries by pioneers like Army Captain Willcox and the subsequent involvement of the Lezinsky brothers. Geologically, the deposit is a massive porphyry copper system centered on intrusive monzonite porphyry cutting through Precambrian granite and Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, where extensive supergene enrichment created vast blanket deposits of copper ores. Historically, operations transitioned from early underground high-grade extraction to massive open-pit mining and modern heap leaching, turning Morenci into a cornerstone of the American copper industry and a notable producer of fine secondary copper mineral specimens.

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