Hemimorphite

This striking miniature features a shallow cavity lined with inter-grown robins egg blue hemimorphite botryoids, which display a sparkling drusy lustre. The delicate blue colouration is attributed to minor copper content within the hemimorphite structure.

This piece was collected at the 79 Mine by my father and I, along with one of the mine owners. Much of the hemimorphite in the 300 level "hemimorphite stope" is colourless or white, but we managed to get into a pocket of this beautiful soft blue material. The 79 Mine is a classic American locality—originally discovered in 1879, it is a former underground lead-zinc operation with a long and complex history of ownership and production. Although strictly closed to the public, the mine has recently experienced a renaissance in specimen production under the stewardship of its current ownership. The mine remains an iconic and important locality for collectors of fine Arizona minerals.