Azurite is a soft, deep blue copper mineral produced by weathering of copper ore deposits. Azurite is one of two basic copper(II) CARBONATE minerals that occur naturally, the other being bright green MALACHITE. Pure copper carbonate is unstable in water, and is not known to exist in nature. Azurite consists chemically of two parts copper(II) carbonate to one part copper(II) hydroxide: 2CuCO 3 • Cu(OH) 2
Azurite can occur in elongated or tabular crystals. It also occurs as a film or granular mass. Azurite is semi-hard (3.5-4 on the Moh's Scale), heavy, fragile, with fairly good cleavage. This beautiful blue mineral is associated with carbonate rocks, and is often found with malachite, calcite, chrysocolla and other secondary copper minerals. It is a valuable ornamental and collector's specimen, and most prized for display purposes.
Our Azurite specimens come from "Mibladen" in the Midelt region of the Atlas mountains in Morocco.
