Azurite geode - Bou-Azzer, Morocco | Ref.107

This azurite geode comes from Bou Azzer Mine in Ouarzazate Province, Morocco. Its cavity is lined with lustrous azurite crystals ranging from intense blue to very dark blue, set against a pale matrix.

The piece measures 73 × 43 × 55 mm and weighs 180 g. Detailed photographs and a video show the relief of the cavity and the crystal formation from several angles.

Azurite is a copper carbonate hydroxide with the chemical formula Cu₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂. It has a hardness of 3.5 to 4 on the Mohs scale and a specific gravity of approximately 3.77. Its characteristic blue colour is linked to its copper content.

In antiquity, azurite was ground to produce a blue pigment used in painting and decoration. It was also used during the Middle Ages in illuminated manuscripts and various painted works.