- Azurite is a soft, deep blue copper mineral produced by weathering of copper ore deposits.
- Azurite is light to deep blue or black, with large equant ot tabular crystals.
- Azurite owes its name, to its azure-blue color and from the Persian word "lazhward", meaning "blue.
- Azurite is a gem stone or crystal that is quite commonly sold. It can come in colours that range from pale blue to a rather intense deep blue tone. This crystal believed to be associated to the throat and brow chakras.
- Azurite is used occasionally as beads and as jewelry, and also as an ornamental stone. However, its softness and tendency to lose its deep blue color as it weathers limit such uses.
- The mineral has been known since ancient times, and was mentioned in Pliny the Elder's Natural History under the Greek name kuanos (κυανός: "deep blue," root of English cyan) and the Latin name caeruleum.
- Azurite is one of two basic copper carbonate minerals, the other being bright green malachite.
- These two copper minerals (malachite and azurite) always occur together. Most common in the weathered zone of copper deposits at Bisbee, Morenci and Globe, Arizona.
- Within Native American Indian culture, Azurite is considered as sacred.
- Azurite is soft, with a Mohs hardness of only 3.5 to 4.
- Other blue minerals are harder than azurite.
- In the Mayan civilization, it is used for the enhancement of psychic ability.
- The European name Chessylite is from a famous Azurite locality in Chessy, France.
Azurite quick facts
