Chrysocolla pseudomorph after Malachite replacing Azurite after Gypsum (ex Bob Reynolds Collection)

Item Description

A classic multi-generational pseudomorph/replacement specimen from the famous Silica Pit of the Ray Mine in Arizona. For years, it was believed that these were pseudomorphs of Chrysocolla replacing Azurite (as is stated on the label accompanying this piece), but there's actually more going on. The outer blue layer is certainly Chrysocolla, but you can see (because the lower portion of the main crystal is contacted), that there is Malachite directly under the surface, which indicates that it had already pseudomorphed from a preexisting Azurite crystal. Additionally, it's quite likely that the Azurite had replaced a preexisting Gypsum crystal, so you have 4 distinct periods of deposition/transition between species. The central crystal on this specimen measures 4.0 cm long, and despite the multiple rounds of replacement, still retains the monoclinic shape of the original Gypsum crystal. The underlying matrix shows an alluring mixture of blue and green hues, creating a highly colorful and eye-catching example of these classic specimens from the Ray Mine. Valued at $950. From the collection of Robert (Bob) Reynolds who passed in August of 2020. Bob was a well-known fossil and mineral expert and former Curator of Earth Sciences at the San Bernardino County Museum in California. The rare phyllomanganate-chromate species Reynoldsite was named in his honor in 2011.