Quartz over Chrysocolla pseudomorphs after Malachite after Azurite (ex Rose and Phillips Collections)

Item Description

A very attractive and fine quality cabinet sized display specimen from a lesser-known locality in DR Congo featuring sparkling colorless Quartz crystals overgrowing beautiful, sky blue colored Chrysocolla which has formed pseudomorphs over a previous deposition of Malachite pseudomorphs after Azurite. It's not unheard to have multiple generations of copper-bearing minerals forming pseudomorphs after one another, but they are fairly rare worldwide. Perhaps the best-known examples of this specific phenomenon are those from the famous Miami Mine in Arizona, but the Congolese specimens have a wonderful distinctive appearance. This piece is in excellent condition with very little damage, but the small contacted areas are actually beneficial in the sense that you can see the underlying forest green Malachite beneath the Chrysocolla. The largest crystal/pseudomorph measures 2.0 cm long. A wonderful piece for any fan of secondary copper minerals, pseudomorphs or specimens from DR Congo. Valued at $2,400 in the inventory. From the collections of Erik Rose and Dr. Barratt Phillips.