Chrysocolla on Malachite after Azurite

specimen number:
2312479

location:
Lupoto Mine, Kakumba, Kipushi, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo

description:
Attractive miniature specimen, at one time a cluster of azurite crystals, these now replaced by malachite and coated with bluish green chrysocolla. In great condition all around.

The Lupoto Mine, situated near Kakumba and Kipushi within the Haut-Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is part of the rich Central African Copperbelt. Geologically, the deposit is hosted within sedimentary sequences of the Katanga Supergroup, featuring deformed and altered dolomitic shales and siltstones where hydrothermal fluids and deep supergene weathering concentrated extensive copper and cobalt mineralization. Mineralogically, the locality has achieved international renown among collectors for producing exceptional secondary copper species, most notably striking chrysocolla pseudomorphs after earlier minerals like azurite or malachite, often forming vivid blue and green stalactitic or jackstraw clusters. Historically, modern artisanal and commercial operations expanded across the area to target these rich supergene oxide zones, establishing Lupoto as a celebrated source of sculptural mineral specimens.

Questions about this specimen?
Send an email or call us: 314-341-1811.