Detailed information
Species
Malachite, Quartz
Dimensions
50 x 66 x 30
mm
Weight
78 g
Locality
Tenke-Fungurume area Kolwezi mining district Lualaba, DR Congo
Condition
No recorded repairs
This recent discovery from the Tenke-Fungurume area in the Kolwezi mining district, DR Congo presents Quartz in a totally different way. A highly siliceous, Quartz-rich rock matrix is overgrown with fine, sugary, pale grey crystallized Quartz but in amongst this Quartz are pale mint-green 'flowers' of Quartz sprays, caused where acicular sprays of Malachite have developed only to be totally encapsulated with the later coating of Quartz, through which its green colour shows. This slightly large miniature specimen shows this association really well, with green sprays, varying from 4 to 11 mm in diameter, scattered across the surface of greyish crystallized Quartz. A few small areas of Malachite exposed in the back of the piece allows the mode of formation to be studied.