Chrysocolla with Quartz on Malachite after Azurite

specimen number:
8311410

location:
Tenke Mine, Lualaba, DR Congo

description:
Bladed crystals of what were once azurite measuring to 1.8 cm in size, these now replaced by green malachite and coated with beautiful blue chrysocolla, across the top of matrix. These are then coated with sparkling micro crystals of quartz. In good condition.

The Tenke Fungurume mining complex, situated within the Central African Copperbelt in the Lualaba Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, represents one of the world's largest and highest-grade copper and cobalt resources. Geologically, the deposit is hosted within the Neoproterozoic Katanga Supergroup, where sedimentary-hosted stratiform mineralization occurs primarily as copper-cobalt sulfides and their subsequent oxidation products within dolomitic shales and siltstones. This locality is prized for producing striking pseudomorphs of malachite after azurite, where the original sharp, tabular azurite crystals have been completely replaced by velvety green malachite, often found in association with vibrant, sky-blue coatings or thick crusts of chrysocolla. Historically, while the deposits were identified in the early 20th century, large-scale industrial development was delayed for decades due to regional instability and technical challenges. Major open-pit operations finally commenced in 2009 under a consortium led by Freeport-McMoRan and later acquired by China Molybdenum Company (CMOC) in 2016. Today, Tenke Fungurume remains a massive, active quarrying operation that continues to supply a significant portion of the global demand for battery metals while occasionally yielding spectacular secondary copper mineral specimens.

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