Chrysocolla ps. after Malachite ps. after Azurite with Quartz

This impressive miniature of towering Tolkienesque mountains is composed from unusual double pseudomorphs 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.  At least four former tabular Azurite crystals, now pseudomorphed to Chrysocolla, form a structure of either tall narrow skyscrapers or lofty peaks from the dramatic landscapes in the Lord of the Rings.  The central and tallest of these measures an impressive 6.7 cm.  The tabular Chrysocolla crystals taper towards their Gothic window-like terminations and are entirely encrusted with sparkling micro-Quartz crystals with a bright glassy lustre.  The Chrysocolla is a stunning sky-blue and throughout the base can be seen a remnant core of deep leaf and emerald-green Malachite occurring both massive and as micro-crystals.  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.  An amazing and eye-catching pseudomorph from the Kolwezi mining district of the DRC.