Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q56247090" class="extiw" title="d:Q56247090"><span title="mineral collector and dealer">Robert M. Lavinsky</span></a></bdi> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
monocliniccommonCarbonates
Azurite-Malachite
Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 (Azurite) + Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 (Malachite)
This specimen displays a striking combination of deep azure blue azurite crystals intergrown with vibrant green malachite, often appearing as botryoidal or fibrous masses.
Azurite-Malachite Physical Properties
Mohs Hardness
3.5Crystal System
monoclinicLuster
vitreousStreak Color
light blue (azurite), light green (malachite)Cleavage
Azurite: Good on {011}, fair on {100}; Malachite: Perfect on {201}, good on {001}Fracture
conchoidal to uneven/subconchoidalSpecific Gravity
3.6Colors
blue, greenTransparency
translucent to opaqueType Locality
Bisbee, Warren District, Mule Mts, Arizona, USAMineral Group
CarbonatesUses
ornamental stone, pigment, minor copper ore, collector's itemAssociated Minerals
cuprite, native copper, chrysocolla, tenorite, limoniteRarity
commonGeological Context
Azurite and malachite are secondary copper carbonate minerals that form in the oxidized zones of copper ore deposits, typically resulting from the alteration of primary copper sulfides.
