Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Image Credit: Malcolm Southwood
Specimen Title
Malachite after azurite (w. mimetite)
Associated Minerals
dolomite; mimetite; quartz
Principal Mineral
Precursor Mineral
Size
Cabinet; 84mm
Location in the Mine
First oxidation zone
Provenance
Palache, C.
Collection
MGMH; 87570
Entry Number
Specimen; TSNB694
Description
A matrix comprising brecciated plates of iron-stained dolomite hosts numerous rosettes (to circa 15 mm) of tabular azurite crystals, completely replaced by dark green malachite. Isolated sprays of ivory-white acicular mimetite crystals (to 0.5 mm) are generally sparsely distributed but form a rich crust at one end of the specimen (Exhibit 2). Fewer but similar malachite replacements after azurite are present on the reverse of the specimen, which is partly coated with a druse of very fine colourless quartz which clearly post-dates both the malachite and the mimetite.
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).
