TSUMEB - Azurite (w. malachite after azurite)

Specimen Title

Azurite (w. malachite after azurite)

Associated Minerals

malachite; undetermined

Principal Mineral

Azurite

Precursor Mineral

Azurite

Size

Cabinet; 180mm

Location in the Mine

First oxidation zone; 6 Level

Provenance

Kegel, F.W.

Collection

Smithsonian Institution; NMNH R8537

Entry Number

Specimen; TSNB1008

Description

A large single crystal of azurite, extensively replaced by malachite and partly encrusted with green smithsonite (?) and undetermined Cu-Pb arsenates.

The specimen was originally in the collection of Friedrich Wilhelm Kegel, Tsumeb general manager between 1922 and 1932 and a director of OMEG until 1938. Kegel's catalogue indicates that the specimen was collected on 6 Level in the first oxidation zone. Kegel's collection was purchased for the Smithsonian from Kegel's widow in 1949, using funds from the Roebling endowment (which accounts for the "R" in the catalogue number).

Several of Kegel's specimens were photographed by his colleague and production manager Wilhelm Klein (1889-1939) who is the first collector known to have produced photos of Tsumeb specimens. Klein's monochrome image of this specimen is reproduced by Gebhard (1999).

Thanks are due to Mike Wise and Gabriela Farfan of The Smithsonian Institution for access to specimens and for permission to use photographs.