AZURITE. Tongshan Mine, Guichi District, Chizhou Prefecture, Anhui Province, China. ...

Description

AZURITE
Tongshan Mine, Guichi District, Chizhou Prefecture, Anhui Province, China

Mineral specimen production in general tends to follow a certain trajectory. Starting with a few battered but intriguing examples in a dealer's inventory, there is then a modest increase of material and a general increase in specimen quality fueled by comments of the "I would have paid more if it didn't have that 'ding.'" This stage is rapidly superseded by rampant over-supply to the market, generating sudden boredom with anything but the finest from the locality and consequent abandonment of collecting efforts by the locals. Years later, the high prices asked for the few available specimens sparks renewed interest. There is a rebound in prices for new material, if the mine is still in production, or for the pieces liberated from old collections, if the mine is not producing. Twenty years ago Chinese Azurites were everywhere. Now, most are coming from older collections. An example of that trajectory is this large cabinet sized specimen of Azurite, featuring druzy, botryoidal masses of deep blue-black, scintillating crystals of almost miscroscopic size, contrasting against bright blue, massive Azurite hosted by a Malachite/Limonite matrix. The condition is pristine, and the color is almost electric.
Overall measurements: 5.5 x 4.3 x 2.4 inches (14.0 x 11.0 x 6.0 cm)

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