Azurite from Kerrouchen, Morocco – Dark Blue Crystal Group on Pale Matrix

This Azurite specimen from Kerrouchen, Morocco features an intensely dark blue crystal group rising prominently from a pale matrix. Numerous closely intergrown Azurite crystals form a compact, three-dimensional cluster with a noticeable luster.

The specimen measures 5.2 × 3.5 × 3.0 cm and weighs 90.0 g including the 50 × 50 × 12 mm acrylic base. With a maximum dimension of 5.2 cm, it is a small cabinet specimen.

Intensely dark blue Azurite crystals

The Azurite shows a strong dark blue to deep blue coloration, standing out clearly against the nearly white to pale beige matrix. Under direct illumination, some areas show intense blue-violet reflections.

The crystals are tabular to thick-tabular and partly elongated. They are densely intergrown and stacked into a three-dimensional crystal group. Individual crystal faces show a distinct luster and emphasize the geometric crystal development.

Azurite from Kerrouchen

Kerrouchen in Morocco is known for attractive Azurite specimens. Intensely blue crystals on pale, contrasting matrix are characteristic of material from the locality.

On this specimen, the Azurite mineralization is concentrated mainly on the upper part of the matrix. This creates a strong color contrast between the deep blue Azurite and the pale host rock. The reverse is dominated by the natural matrix and clearly shows the overall structure of the specimen.