Azurite & Malachite
Electric Blue Pocket (1983), Morenci Mine,
(Copper Mountain area, Old Morenci Pit), Morenci, Greenlee County, Arizona, USA
9.5 cm wide x 6.5 cm tall
Azurite with Malachite is one of the ultimate pairings in the mineral kingdom. In nature these two are so often found together that our mineral jargon has merged them into one long word - "Azurite-Malachite."
The Morenci Mine is synonymous with these two species. The lush mixture of colors and textures defines this piece and the Morenci Mine. The vibrant green and electric blue create a striking contrast against the dark, rough base rock. The malachite formations are smooth and rounded, while the azurite rosettes are sharply crystallized, creating a dynamic visual interplay between colors and surfaces.
“In 1982, in the Copper Mountain area of the old Morenci pit, Brian Huntsman collected about five flats of gorgeous specimens showing bright green malachite spheres and lustrous blue azurite rosettes on matrix (Wallace, 2012). In early 1983, on the 4700 bench in the same area, Brian Huntsman and Jerry Sullivan made one of the best-known finds to come from the Morenci mine. Working a crack in a large boulder that had been dislodged by a blast, they were able to extract about three flats of outstanding azurite specimens. The azurite is in the form of crystal rosettes to about 1.7 cm across, each one showing extraordinarily rich color and bright luster. The rosettes are accompanied by small balls of forest-green malachite. This find, known as the Electric Blue Pocket, yielded some of the most sought-after of all Morenci specimens.”
The Mineralogical Record, volume 51, January-February, 2020, pg. 99