Description
Azurite & Malachite, Natural, Cabochons (No Hole), 100 Grams
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Azurite & Malachite are closely related copper minerals that frequently grow together, creating striking contrast with vibrant deep blue and rich green hues. Both minerals are basic copper carbonates that form in the weathered upper zones of copper ore deposits. Carbonated groundwater reacts with underground copper ores, causing these minerals to precipitate into rock cavities and fractures.
Azurite contains slightly less bound water in its crystal structure than malachite. Over time, as air moisture and water interact with azurite, it naturally hydrates and chemically transforms into malachite. This process leads to a geological phenomenon known as a pseudomorph, where malachite replaces azurite atom by atom, keeping the original blue crystal shape of azurite while turning completely green on the inside. When both minerals inter grow in a single stone, gem cutters and collectors call it Azurmalachite.
Because azurite and malachite form under identical conditions they are almost always mined in the same locations worldwide. The largest global producer today is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, supplying almost all of the world's high-grade, heavily banded malachite. Other active regions mined in notable quantities include Morocco, Australia, Namibia, Mexico, and the Southwestern United States: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah.
Hardness 3.5 to 4
This is a natural stone that has had no treatment other than cutting, drilling, and polishing
