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[Carles Millan]

Hübnerite, quartz

Hübnerite crystals with quartz. Overall size: 83 mm x 57 mm. Weight: 193 g.

Pasto Bueno District, Pampas, Pallasca, Ancash, Peru. Probably from Huayllapon mine.

Photo copyright © Carles Millan. Reproduction allowed as long as the author's name is cited. Creative Commons Attribution License - Some Rights Reserved.

[Carles Millan]

Calcite CaCO₃

Reddish-brown translucent complex calcite crystal, terminated all around and undamaged, on a matrix covered by small brownish scalenohedral calcite crystals. Overall size: 96 mm x 90 mm. Main crystal: 50 mm tall. Weight: 181 g.

Tonglüshan Cu-Au-Fe deposit, Edong Mining District, Daye Co., Huangshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, China.

Photos copyright © Carles Millan. Reproduction allowed as long as the author's name is cited. Creative Commons Attribution License - Some Rights Reserved.

My Personal Site

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5458M-calcite7.jpg
Description:	Calcite Tonglüshan Cu-Au-Fe deposit, Edong Mining District, Daye Co., Huangshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, China 96 mm x 90 mm
Viewed:	53499 Time(s)

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5458M-calcite6.jpg
Description:	Calcite Tonglüshan Cu-Au-Fe deposit, Edong Mining District, Daye Co., Huangshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, China 96 mm x 90 mm
Viewed:	53457 Time(s)

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5458M-calcite5.jpg
Description:	Calcite Tonglüshan Cu-Au-Fe deposit, Edong Mining District, Daye Co., Huangshi Prefecture, Hubei Province, China 96 mm x 90 mm
Viewed:	53507 Time(s)

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[Carles Millan]

Stannite, arsenopyrite, quartz, fluorite, mica

Stannite and arsenopyrite mixed crystals with quartz, fluorite and mica. Overall size: 89 mm x 60 mm x 50 mm. Weight: 334 g.

Yaogangxian Mine, Yizhang Co., Chenzhou Prefecture, Hunan Province, China.

Photos copyright © Carles Millan. Reproduction allowed as long as the author's name is cited. Creative Commons Attribution License - Some Rights Reserved.

[Carles Millan]

Azurite

A spray of dark blue prismatic azurite crystals exhibiting sharp terminations, the largest measuring 25 mm in length. Overall size: 55 mm x 40 mm. Weight: 62g.

Kerrouchen, Khénifra, Meknès-Tafilalet, Morocco.

Photos copyright © Carles Millan. Reproduction allowed as long as the author's name is cited and the image not modified. Creative Commons Attribution Licence - Some Rights Reserved.

[Ed Huskinson]

Wow Carles. You've done it again. What a stunning specimen! I find these azurites from Kerruchen/chene, wherever there in Morocco, to be fascinating because some of them display an electric blue colour. Would it be possible for you to show us the locality on a map? You're so good at that, and I'd love to learn more about the occurrence. I can see that the matrix is a breccia, developed on what looks like bleached limestone or dolomite.

I have a few of these bright electric blue azurites, and they really stand out. Looking at one of them with Victor Yount some years ago, he told me that there is one area (a shaft?) in particular in Morocco that produces specimens that display this property. I have also seen it in some azurites from Tsumeb as well. Usually the specimen is malachite after azurite with a thin (1 mm or less) regrowth of azurite over the malachite. It is this thin regrowth that seems to cause the electric blue color. Not always, but there are examples in my collection that display this property.

So. I can see that there are several areas with the electric blue color on your azurite. Is there any evidence of malachite underlying a thin coating of azurite with your piece? It's hard for me to tell from the photos alone, hence the question. Just curious, and if you have any more azurites that show this characteristic, please show them to us.

I suppose that light reflecting through thin cleavage planes or whatnot might yield the color as well. I've heard people say that, and that theory makes sense. In truth, there are probably several things that can come into play to produce this phenomenon.

Thanks for sharing your splendid specimens with the mineralogical brotherhood. Keep 'em coming.

Ed

[Carles Millan]

To Ed Huskinson

Hi Ed!

Many thanks (once again) for your comments.

This azurite from Kerrouchene has no malachite at all (I believe). The picture I've just taken this very evening is quite alike to the specimen in person. But I always thought it was a medium rather low class piece if you compare it with others from the same locality, not to mention with the ones coming from the nearby Touissit.

But I'm sorry not being able to post a map with the exact location of Kerrouchene since I'm not a Morocco expert. Perhaps Jordi Fabre, who is a long time great connoisseur of the area, might give you an idea about that. (Jordi, if you are now too busy to help, forget about it. No problem.)

The photos of all the azurites from Morocco I own (only three) have already been posted on this thread, the other two being from Touissit, as you will see.

>Thanks for sharing your splendid specimens with the mineralogical brotherhood. Keep 'em coming.

You're welcome! I'll try!

[Ed Huskinson]

OK Carles, just thought I'd ask. For me, sometimes the worth of a specimen is the story it has to tell, or perhaps a particular feature that it displays. It's not always about the "aesthetics" of the piece, or how big a price tag it carries.
I'll go back through your string to look at your two other azurites. Thanks for the info.

Later,

Ed

[Jordi Fabre]

To see where Kerrouchen is located please use this link: https://mapsof.net/Kerrouchen/Morocco//#drag

BTW, although in some maps it appears "Kerrouchene" name, I always used "Kerrouchen" and the mineral world usually use "Kerrouchen" as the name of the locality of these Azurites.

Jordi

[Carles Millan]

Hi Jordi!

>although in some maps it appears "Kerrouchene" name, I always used "Kerrouchen" and
>the mineral world usually use "Kerrouchen" as the name of the locality of these Azurites.

At the Mindat database the "official" name is Kerrouchene. But being you an expert on Moroccan minerals I've just amended my spelling, as you can see above.

If you are sure enough, I encourage you to edit the locality name at Mindat either by directly changing it or by adding Kerrouchen as an alternative name.

[Jordi Fabre]

Thanks for the confidence Carles!

Kerrouchene is not a wrong name, as well as Kerrouchen. That's one of the typical troubles translating Arabian language to English (or others) language(s).

The fact is that Kerrouchen is generally more used than Kerrouchene in the mineral world, specially by the Moroccan dealers. That's why, trying to do the easiest, I use the most used version (if correct, as is the case) of the same Arabian name translated to Occidental alphabet (Kirrūšān)

Jordi

[Carles Millan]

Hi Jordi!

Perhaps it is due to the French way of pronunciation, where Kerrouchen and Kerrouchène do not sound the same. As you surely know, transliterating to French is quite usual in Morocco.

[Carles Millan]

Baryte

Transparent to translucent crystals of Baryte to 28 mm in size covering an 82 mm x 56 mm x 42 mm matrix. Weight: 204 g.

Xichang Mine, Xichang Co., Liangshan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China.

Photos copyright © Carles Millan. Reproduction allowed as long as the author's name is cited. Creative Commons Attribution Licence - Some Rights Reserved.

[Carles Millan]

Galena, dolomite

Galena crystals {100}{111} up to 38 mm on edge set on a rhombohedrical {1110} dolomite matrix. Free of damage. Overall size: 70 mm x 60 mm x 50 mm. Weight: 446 g.

Sweetwater Mine (Milliken Mine), Ellington, Viburnum Trend District, Reynolds Co., Missouri, USA.

Photos copyright © Carles Millan. Reproduction allowed as long as the author's name is cited. Creative Commons Attribution Licence - Some Rights Reserved.

My Personal Site

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2453M-galena2.jpg
Description:	Galena, dolomite Sweetwater Mine (Milliken Mine), Ellington, Viburnum Trend District, Reynolds Co., Missouri, USA 70 mm x 60 mm x 50 mm
Viewed:	52763 Time(s)

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2453M-galena1.jpg
Description:	Galena, dolomite Sweetwater Mine (Milliken Mine), Ellington, Viburnum Trend District, Reynolds Co., Missouri, USA 70 mm x 60 mm x 50 mm
Viewed:	52661 Time(s)

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[parfaitelumiere]

nice specimens,I like the phantoms in the Baryte,and I like the kerrouchen azurite,really good.
And lots of twins at this place.....

[Ed Huskinson]

Yes, you nailed it Parfait. The zoning in the Baryte, particularly in the big crystal on top, is just spectacular. The azurite is beautiful as well.

Ed