azurite (w. malachite)

A group of slender, striated, prismatic azurite crystals (to 52 mm), blue-black and highly lustrous, on a yellowish, iron oxide-stained matrix. The azurite is pristine, with no sign of alteration to malachite; however, separate aggregates of non-pseudomorphous malachite crystals are present on the matrix.

The specimen was formerly in the collections of W.W. Pinch and F.W. Kegel, who was general director at the mine from 1922 and remained a director of OMEG after his return to Europe in 1932. Unfortunately, the Kegel number and description have not been preserved but the Pinch Collection label is shown in Exhibit 2.

malachite