Azurite with Malachite after Cuprite

specimen number:
2262230

location:
Bisbee, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA

description:
Lustrous bladed crystals of azurite across the top of matrix. Small crystals of what were once octahedral cuprite, these now replaced by green malachite, present throughout. In good condition with minimal damage present. Classic material for this famous mining district. The specimen comes with a previous label from Ward's Natural Science Establishment.

The Bisbee mining district, situated within the Mule Mountains of Cochise County, Arizona, is one of the most celebrated and productive copper-bearing metal deposits in North American history, globally renowned for its spectacular secondary copper minerals. Geologically, this world-class district represents a complex porphyry copper system focused around the Jurassic-age Sacramento Hill granodiorite stock, which intruded a thick sequence of Paleozoic limestones and shales. Intense hydrothermal alteration and widespread faulting created vast sulfide ore bodies that were subsequently subjected to deep, extensive supergene weathering and oxidization over millions of years. This process generated immense, high-grade carbonate and oxide enrichment zones, producing legendary quantities of magnificent malachite, azurite, cuprite, and chrysocolla embedded within ferruginous gossan and limestone matrices. Historically, the deposit was first discovered by prospectors in 1877, quickly leading to the establishment of the famous Copper Queen Mine. Large-scale underground mining and subsequent open-pit quarrying at the massive Lavender Pit expanded dramatically under the management of Phelps Dodge Corporation throughout the 20th century. Corporate extraction ran continuously for nearly a century until the depletion of profitable ore reserves led to the permanent cessation of all commercial mining operations in 1975.

Ward's Natural Science Establishment, located in Rochester, New York, is one of the oldest and most influential scientific supply houses and mineral dealerships in United States history. Founded in 1862 by Henry Augustus Ward, a prominent professor of natural sciences at the University of Rochester, the institution began as a specialized studio to create, preserve, and distribute high-quality geological collections, taxidermy, and anatomical models for museums and universities. Geologically and mineralogically, the company became a primary global conduit for classic mineral specimens, systematically sourcing, cataloging, and distributing rare and aesthetic reference pieces from important international discoveries throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries. Historically, the business operated out of its iconic, sprawling College Avenue complex from 1869 until a devastating fire destroyed a large portion of its inventory and historical archives in 1930, prompting a relocation to its modern facilities on Ridge Road. The establishment played a foundational role in professionalizing American museum curation, serving as a training ground for legendary museum builders, and establishing standardized mineral kits that educated generations of geologists.

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