Carbonate-Cyanotrichite

specimen number:
2282039

location:
Qinglong, Guizhou, China

description:
Rich blue acicular crystals on matrix. Good thumbnail for the species.

The Qinglong mining district, located in Guizhou Province, China, is an internationally significant locality known for its extraordinary antimony and associated secondary mineral deposits. Geologically, the area is defined by thick sequences of Permian carbonate strata that have been subjected to complex tectonic folding and hydrothermal alteration. Antimony mineralization primarily occurs within fractured limestone and dolomite as replacement bodies or vein-fillings, where the oxidation of stibnite-rich ores has created diverse secondary minerals. Commercial mining activities in the region have been recorded intermittently for decades, with intensified extraction of antimony ores for industrial use occurring throughout the late 20th century. While large-scale industrial mining has faced regulatory changes, the site remains a vital reference point for collectors due to the unique secondary mineral assemblages found in the oxidized zones.

Carbonate-cyanotrichite is a copper-aluminum sulfate-carbonate mineral that belongs to the cyanotrichite group, characterized by its distinctive sky-blue to bright turquoise coloration. It typically forms as a secondary mineral in the oxidation zones of copper-bearing sulfide deposits, where acidic, sulfate-rich solutions interact with local host rock carbonates. The mineral most commonly occurs as fragile, radiating acicular crystal sprays, crusts, or velvet-like coatings on rock surfaces, frequently associated with other secondary copper species such as malachite and azurite.

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