Azurite

This beautiful miniature Azurite from Tsumeb mine in Namibia forms three branching arms of intergrown, stacked rhombic crystals, which I can only liken to an aircraft’s three-bladed propeller.  This is an over-simplification, but conveys the general structure which is actually more three-dimensional.  One of the ‘arms’ is attached to a small sliver of pale pink Dolomite matrix with a highly porous and spongy texture.  The Azurite has a bright glassy lustre and when back-lit, transmits many rich areas of vivid electric blue.