Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Specimen Title
malachite after azurite (w. mimetite and smithsonite)
Associated Minerals
azurite; mimetite; smithsonite
Principal Mineral
Precursor Mineral
Size
Cabinet; 133mm
Location in the Mine
First oxidation zone
Provenance
Palache, C.
Collection
MGMH; 87502
Entry Number
Specimen; TSNB686
Description
A composite, prismatic crystal of azurite, 133 mm in length, almost completely replaced by malachite, although a little azurite remains on the reverse of the specimen (Exhibit 2). Parts of the pseudomorph, notably growth steps and other discontinuities in the original azurite composite, have been etched and remineralised with an iron-stained intergrowth of pearly-white rhombohedral smithsonite crystals (to 1 mm) and tiny, gemmy prismatic crystals (< 0.3 mm) of very pale yellow mimetite (Exhibit 3).
The specimen is from the collection purchased by Charles Palache during his visit to Tsumeb in December 1922, which dates it to the upper part of the first oxidation zone (i.e. 8 Level or above).
