Carbonate Cyanotrichite on Limestone Matrix from Qinglong Mine

Dimension: 5.6cm x 4.3cm x 3cm
Weight: 23g
Locality: Qinglong Mine, Dachang Sb ore field, Qianxi'nan A.P., Guizhou Province, China
 
A mesmerizing specimen that has shimmering blue tufts of Carbonate Cyanotrichite aesthetically grown on the limestone matrix.   The colors are exceedingly bright and saturated, ranging from pastel blue, sky blue to royal blue.  A very sculptural and artistic piece of rare minerals from the famous Qinglong Mine in China.
 
The Cyanotrichite group of minerals has a beauty all its own, with a range of intense blues that are eye-catching and alluring.  Carbonate Cyanotrichite is a rare and beautiful member of that group.  The name actually comes from the Greek for "blue" and "hair", for obvious reasons, as the blue crystals have this acicular (hair-like) form. 
 
Carbonate Cyanotrichite is a secondary copper mineral found sparsely in the oxidation zones of copper-bearing ore bodies.  This is a very beautiful specimen from recent finds in China, and is very highly representative and rich for the species and locality.