AZURITE ROSETTES, MALBUNKA COPPER MINE, NT, AUSTRALIA ( (cabinet)

Azurite, also referred to as Azure spar, is a soft, vibrant blue copper mineral formed through the weathering of copper ore deposits. In the early 19th century, it was commonly called chessylite, named after its type locality in Chessy-les-Mines, near Lyon, France. This mineral, characterized by the basic carbonate formula Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2, has a long history, having been noted in ancient texts such as Pliny the Elder's Natural History, where it was identified by the Greek term kuanos, meaning "deep blue," and the Latin term caeruleum. The blue hue of azurite is attributed to the presence of copper ions.