Azurite

About Azurite

One of the most vividly blue minerals in nature - it was ground into pigment for centuries. Renaissance painters prized azure blue pigment made from azurite before lapis lazuli ultramarine became available. It is found in oxidized copper deposits, often alongside malachite. It is soft and sensitive to heat and light. Over time, azurite can transform to malachite, changing from blue to green. The Chessy-les-Mines in France produced the finest specimens. It is rarely faceted but prized by collectors. It has been used as a pigment since ancient Egypt. It sometimes pseudomorphs to green malachite while keeping its crystal shape.