Chrysocolla ps. after Malachite ps. after Azurite with Quartz

This extraordinary column-like miniature is an unusual double pseudomorph of intense sky-blue Chrysocolla replacing Malachite after Azurite and coated in Quartz, from a magnificent recent find in the Tenke-Fungurume area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Central Africa.  Two former tabular Azurite crystals, now pseudomorphed to Chrysocolla, form a dominant parallel sided 5.3 cm tall tower with a flattened termination and from the base projects a 1.8 cm long rounded crystal, at about 30 degrees from the vertical.  The Chrysocolla pseudomorphs are entirely encrusted with sparkling micro-Quartz crystals with a bright glassy lustre which in this specimen demonstrate a two-stage preferential deposition.  One side is coated with completely transparent colourless Quartz micro-crystals while the opposite side has a sublayer of milk chocolate-brown colouration.  The Quartz on this chocolate side is also more thickly coated and forms drooping globular clusters apparently influenced by gravity during deposition.  The Chrysocolla is a stunning sky blue and with the base (looking through the acrylic base) can be seen a remnant core of deep leaf and emerald-green Malachite.  The Tenke-Fungurume area delineates a 30 km copper-cobalt mineralised zone between Tenke hill in the NW and Fungurume hill in the SE of the Kolwezi mining district.  The region holds large ore reserves and to date a suite of 31 minerals have been recorded, including some exceedingly rare copper species.  This beautiful and arrestingly coloured fine pseudomorph is mounted on a square colourless acrylic base.