Azurite

specimen number:
2062778

location:
Shilu Mine, Yangchun Co., Yangjiang, Guangdong, China

description:
Classic Chinese azurite specimen, this a cluster of lustrous blue bladed crystals measuring to almost 1.5 cm in size. Complete all around with no real points of attachment, very little matrix attached in one area. This is in terrific condition all around. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of Ray DeMark.

The Shilu Mine in Yangchun, Guangdong Province, China, is situated within a regional basin characterized by complex sedimentary and intrusive rock formations that fostered extensive skarn development. Regionally, hydrothermal activity and the interaction of magmatic fluids with carbonate rocks produced notable metallic deposits, featuring oxidized zones rich in secondary minerals. While commercial mining operations targeted basic metals like copper, the site gained international renown among mineral collectors primarily for exceptional specimens unearthed during the 1980s. Miners and collectors recovered highly prized, deep blue azurite rosettes and vibrant green malachite aggregates from the weathered and oxidized sections of the skarn ore bodies. Today, these classic specimens are largely exhausted from active commercial extraction and are preserved in private and institutional collections worldwide.

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