Azurite

specimen number:
1471059

location:
Bisbee, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA

description:

Attractive sparkling blue crystallized azurite covering both sides of this matrix. Minor malachite is present. This is in good condition. The specimen comes with a custom acrylic display base.

Bisbee, located in the Mule Mountains of Cochise County, Arizona, is one of the most famous copper mining districts in American history. Geologically, the area is characterized by a massive porphyry copper system centered on the Sacramento Hill stock, where mineral-rich fluids interacted with Paleozoic limestones to create extensive replacement deposits. This unique environment produced a spectacular array of secondary copper minerals in high-grade oxidation zones, making Bisbee world-renowned for its brilliant blue azurite and green malachite. Historically, the first claims were staked in 1877, and the district quickly grew into the "Queen of the Copper Camps" under the dominance of the Phelps Dodge Corporation. Major operations included legendary mines such as the Copper Queen and the Lavender Pit open-cut mine. Industrial-scale mining continued for nearly a century until underground operations ceased in 1975, followed by the closure of the Lavender Pit. Today, Bisbee remains a major cultural and historical landmark, preserved through its well-documented mining heritage and its status as a premier source for mineralogical research and collecting.

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