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Monday, October 13, 2008

Azurite 2CuCO3.Cu(CO)2 Carbonate Group


Physical features
1. Color- Dark to vivid blue.
2. Streak- Pale blue.
3. Luster- Vitreous.
4. Cleavage- Excellent.
5. Transparency- Transparent.
6. Fracture- Conchoidal.
7. Hardness- 3.5-4.
8. Forms- Massive, prismatic, stalactitic, tubular.
Azurite is a carbonate. This magnificent mineral is deep azure blue. Azurite is soft and has monoclinic, tubular and columnar crystals. Most crystals are massive to nodular, some are even in stalactitic form. Heating Azurite would destroy it. In the ancient orient Azurite was used for dying, staining and painting murals. Many occurrences include Europe, Australia and the U.S.A. (Arizona and New Mexico). Azurite can be associated with many other minerals such as Malachite, calcite, quartz, native copper, limonite, and many other oxidized copper minerals. Azurite also reacts well with hydrocloric acid.