This specimen features a matrix coated with a beautiful layer of pastel, aquamarine colored, acicular aurichalcite , blanketed with colorless, lustrous calcite crystals, to 1.0 cm across. Classic and rare today, on the market, these are selling at a premium when they do turn up and make for unique locality pieces.

An oldtimer, this piece dates from French expeditionary trips for mineralogy in the 1970s into the 1980s. It comes from an old collection, and was almost certainly collected on well known trips by the team from the Sorbonne, under Pierre Bariand. This large specimen is very hefty, at over a pound, suggesting that the matrix is probably a good copper ore. The aurichalcite richly covers it, and has a bright and intense blue color that is darker than most aurichalcite from more familiar locales like Mapimi and in Arizona. I have not seen but small pieces of this material before, for sale. It is a good merger of a beautiful quality in a rare species, with nice locality interest.Joe Budd Photos