Chrysocolla after Malachite after Azurite coated by Quartz (classic material)

Item Description

This is a great piece of these classic and iconics specimens from the Live Oak Pit at the Inspiration Mine, near Globe, Arizona. These specimens are famous beucase they are to the best of my knowledge, the only examples of Quartz coating Chrysocolla, which has replaced preexisting Malachite that originally pseudomorphed after Azurite. These beautiful specimens will sometimes carry the label "gem silica", but that term is typically used to describe Quartz / Chalcedony that contains inclusions of Chrysocolla, not a coating of one over the other. With that said, these piece are wildly popular among minerals collectors, and also in the gem / jewelry world, as they make for some unique polished material. This particular piece features beautiful blue-green botryoidal Chrysocolla replacing prismatic crystals of Azurite that were later pseudomorphed to Malachite covered with a thin layer of tranlucent Quartz on surface. The largest crystal measures 1.7 cm long. You can see some dark reddish-brown Cuprite on the underside of the piece for a nice touch. Classic material from decades ago, and very hard to find on the market today. Valued $1,250.