Chrysocolla ps. after Malachite ps. after Azurite

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.  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.  The original tabular Azurite crystals measure up to 3.3 cm and, in this quite different looking cabinet specimen, form a geode-like cavity filled with branching and protruding bright blue crystals.  A number of holes in the back of the cavity allow light to enter, hence illuminating potentially dark features.  Enhancing this specimen even more is a flat plate, roughly 5.5 x 5 cm half-filling the geode’s base where the Quartz coating adopts a smoky teal-blue to greyish black colour, contrasting wonderfully with the vivid sky-blue Chrysocolla lining.  Pervading streaks of light green Malachite are visible in the trimmed underside of the base and back.  An excellent and totally arresting Chrysocolla pseudomorph from the DRC in central Africa.