Malachite after Azurite

specimen number:
8282165

location:
Tsumeb mine, Otjikoto, Namibia

description:

Incredibly large thick double terminated crystal of azurite set in a cluster with several smaller crystals up on matrix. The azurite crystals are now replaced by green malachite. This old classic is in outstanding condition. A painted number on the specimen tells me that at one time this was part of the collection of Robert Nowakowski.

Malachite after azurite from the Tsumeb Mine in Namibia represents a classic pseudomorph formed in the oxidized zone of the mines complex polymetallic orebody. In this process the original blue azurite crystals were chemically altered to green malachite while preserving the external crystal shape, producing sharp crystal forms with a color change. The Tsumeb Mine, active from the late 19th century until the 1990s, was famous for its deep pipe like deposit rich in copper, lead, zinc, and many rare elements, and for the exceptional diversity of secondary minerals formed during oxidation. Specimens of malachite after azurite from Tsumeb are highly prized by collectors for their vivid color contrast, crystal definition, and association with one of the worlds most celebrated mineral localities.

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