All About Azurite – Uses, Properties, Color, and Worth
Azurite is a secondary copper carbonate mineral that forms around deposits of copper. It occurs as tabular crystals in patterns such as hair needles, radiating groups, aggregates, and rosettes. Over time azurite can alter into malachite given too much open air.
The weathering of azurite to settle as malachite, happens with the replacement of some its carbon dioxide with water. This simple replacement alters the ratio, and color for that matter, to a more stable malachite.
Azurite is historically used as a dye, though in some cases if exposed to long to the open elements it became unusable. This mineral, along with malachite, was a very good indicator to determine the presence of copper near or around where found.
Some Common Azurite Properties:
 | |
| Azurite Mohs Hardness: | 3.5 – 4.0 |
| Azurite Specific Gravity: | 3.7 – 3.8 |
| Azurite Streak: | Pale Blue |
| Azurite Fracture: | Conchoidal |
| Azurite Luster: | Vitreous to Dull |
| Azurite Crystal System: | Monoclinic |
| Azurite Chemical Formula: | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
What is Azurite used for?
Azurite has been used as a blue dye for the better part of history. Other azurite uses include it being used as jewelry and as a display piece. The uses of this mineral are few as working with it can be difficult due to its softness and the loss of color caused by the weathering elements.
Rock collectors, also known as rockhounders, love to pick up a nice specimen of azurite for display. The array of blues to even purple that can be available with azurite can make it hard to resist purchasing some online or at a rock show.
When Azurite is used in jewelry, the one making the jewelry must take some of the same precautions as when working with malachite, as there is some toxicity with cutting and working with copper dioxides.
Azurite beads, pendants, earrings, and rings are some of the pieces of jewelry that are created using azurite. Keep in mind a good polish and keeping azurite out of too much light will help the jewelry last longer.
Throughout history many paintings and ceramics made use of the colors azurite had to offer. Various blues have been created from azurite. This is due to the fineness of the ground powder or the amount of copper carbonate present. The mixing of other substances into the azurite dye would produce other color variants as well.
Azurite Color
The color of azurite is blue, or varying colors of light blue to dark blue, with even some cases of violet. It has often been called azure blue, which makes sense in its names sake. Due to its beautiful color…
Azurite is quite a collector’s item for rock collectors due to its intense blue colors available. A collector will typically need to take care of their specimens as azurite is unstable when exposed to the open elements and surrounding air, light, and heat, as the color will lose its intensity over time.
In some cases azurite can end up with a boost of silica content, which will increase its harness, allowing carving and polishing into cabochons and even applied to jewelry.
Azurite Worth and Value
The size and color will determine the worth of azurite. Typically the larger the rock the more costly and valuable it will be. If there is some very good intense color with some crystallization you can expect higher value and worth. Value will be placed on…
Specimens of uncut azurite, as cutting or carving out this mineral into any shape can have issues. A good specimen of azurite with some nice color can start out at 40 USD for one that fits in the palm of your hand.
As the size of the azurite gets bigger, and really only slightly bigger, you can expect a bit of an exponential effect to start to take place on price. Some smaller sizes, and I mean smaller and maybe not as much color, can be easily affordable as they can even go down to around 10 USD.
Azurite geode prices can get a bit expensive when buying them as the so called blueberries I mentioned above. I have seen one US pound of these small geodes go for around $100 USD. When cut open and polished like a typical geode the price for one nice looking geode can fetch a similar price.
Crystallized azurite with some nice clustering and great color, can typically run up into the hundreds of USD and in some cases thousands. These specimens are very favorable to rock collectors due to colors of blue being more rare in the rockhounding world, and the azure crystals can have a nice deep blue.
Differences between Azurite and other Minerals
Difference between Azurite and Malachite
The big difference between azurite and malachite will be its color. Azurite will be a blue, while malachite will be a green. The streak also different as azurite is a pale blue, while malachite is a light green.
The differences beyond color and streak are more subtle or similar, such as the chemical formula. When azurite is exposed to the elements such as air and sun, it will change into malachite over time.
For comparison, you can view my article on malachite at “All about malachite“.
Difference between Azurite and Lapis Lazuli
Azurite and lapis lazuli are not the same even though they both are blue. Azurite is a mineral and lapis lazuli is a metamorphic rock. These two, in fact, do not share much in common at all when it comes to physical properties.
Many will confuse Lapis lazuli and azurite as they do share one or two common proprieties. Azurite is capable of having a dull luster and lapis lazuli has a dull luster. If both were shaped and polished you might have a hard time telling the difference.
One great ways to see the difference, if available, in lapis lazuli, is the small inclusions of pyrite within the metamorphic rock. For more information on Lapis Lazuli see my article “All about Lapis Lazuli”
What are Azurite Blueberries
Azurite blueberries, or sometimes called azurite nodules, are perhaps one of the most intriguing forms azurite can take. The spherical nodules are typically a lighter blue color and can be over in inch in diameter. Many of these azurite blueberries are about the size of an actual blueberry.
What makes this type of azurite geode quite desirable, past the novelty of small blueberries, is the possibility of getting a larger one and cutting it in half. Inside these small potential azurite geodes could be azurite crystals like what you might find with other geodes. The deeper blue colors and the crystals within these azurite geodes can be absolutely breathtaking to look at.
Where can Azurite be found?
You can find Azurite in several places around the world including; Africa, Australia, Mexico, Romania and in the USA states of Arizona and Utah.
