Azurite in Granite ("K2 stone" "Ketonite")

Foothills of K2 Mountain, on the border between Gilgit–Baltistan northern Pakistan and the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, China
Thumbnail, 2.8 x 2.3 x 0.7 cm to 2.0 x 1.8 x 1.7 cm
Start Time: 09/26/2019 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
End Time: 10/03/2019 6:45:00 pm (CDT)
Auction Closed

Item Description

From a discovery a few years ago near what some call the "roof of the world". When we first saw these specimens, we were convinced that they were fakes, but testing along with the large amount of rough material on the market has confirmed that they are genuine. Here we have three full thumbnail sized specimens that feature bubble-like spots of blue Azurite floating against a black and white speckled granite background. The Azurite zones have a notable translucency, as you can see through them to the underlying granite. These pieces are polished to show off the Azurite better, and there are small specks of a pale green mineral (most likely Malachite) floating around the edges. This stuff is strange to be sure, and everybody I showed it to has no explanation as to how it formed. It's not often we see metamorphic secondary copper minerals like this, especially in a district that's better known for producing pegmatite minerals. I have no idea if there will be more of this material, or even how much is out there, so if you want one, don't miss out. It's certainly a cool mineralogical novelty if nothing else.

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