Quartz with Azurite and Malachite
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the earth’s continental crust. Pure quartz is colorless and transparent (clear) or translucent.
Azurite is a soft, deep blue copper mineral produced by weathering of copper ore deposits. Azurite has been used as a pigment. It is soft and tends to lose its blue color easily. Heating destroys it completely. To help preserve the deep blue color of a pristine azurite specimen, collectors should use a cool, dark, sealed storage container.
Malachite is a carbonate mineral normally known as “copper carbonate” that often results from weathering of copper ores.
