Pegmatite species or amethysts usually come to mind when one thinks of famous Brazilian minerals, but the early 1990s saw a shocking find of beautiful Azurite and Malachite specimens in Bahia. This discovery was even more surprising because Brazil, without any major copper mines, rarely produces good secondary copper minerals. Initial specimens were mostly Azurite that displayed as attractive, spherical clusters on matrix. Over time, specimens with some level of Azurite pseudomorphing to Malachite were also mined but complete replacements such as this were always rare (in the 1990s and moreso, today). In the end, rare and complete pseudomorphs such as this superb, small cabinet piece were found. Up to about 1.8 cm across, these Malachites are particularly beautiful. The deep, emerald-green color is vivid, and there is a bit of the almost iridescent shimmer that Malachite can be known for. This creates a contrast with the rich brown matrix that is visually captivating. Only about one percent of the specimens from this rare find are complete pseudos, and the beauty and condition of this piece makes it an exquisite specimen. Copper minerals from Brazil are rare as heck, and beautiful ones are almost unheard of!