Azurite Value, Price, and Jewelry Informa on

Deep blue azurite cabochon with green malachite “eyes,” 150 cts, 54.4 x 38.2 x 8.7 mm, Bisbee, Arizona. © 49erMinerals. Used with permission.

Collectors prize deep blue azurite crystals, but faceted gems are extremely rare. However, azurite frequently occurs mixed with green malachite, and this m
commonly used for cabochons and decora ve objects.

Azurite Value
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Azurite Value via Gem Price Guide

Cabochons All sizes

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Azurite Informa on
DATA VALUE

Name Azurite

Crystallography  Monoclinic. Crystals may be large and perfect, tabular, prisma c; also massive, earthy, banded, stalac c.

Refrac ve Index  1.730-1.836

Colors  Light and dark azure blue.

Luster  Vitreous (crystals) to earthy or dull.

Fracture  Conchoidal

Hardness  3.5-4

Specific Gravity  3.77

Birefringence  0.110

Cleavage  Perfect 1 direc on

Luminescence  None

Transparency  Transparent to opaque.

Absorp on Line at 500.

Spectrum 

Formula Cu3 (CO3)2(OH)2

Pleochroism  Strong, in shades of blue.

Op cs  α = 1.730; β = 1.758 γ = 1.836; Biaxial (+), 2V ~ 67°.

Etymology In allusion to the color, derived from the Persian word lazhward, meaning blue.

Occurrence Secondary mineral in copper deposits.

 Azurite with malachite: Bisbee, Arizona (~ 4 inches high). Photo © Joel E. Arem, PhD, FGA. Used with permission.

Comments
Azurite occurs in fine crystals in many locali es. When it occurs in massive form, the material is almost always mixed with malachite, another copper carbon
mineral. Lapidaries cut this mixture, called azurite-malachite or azurmalachite, into very a rac ve cabochons and large decora ve items, such as boxes.

Burnite is a mixture of azurite and cuprite (copper oxide).

Azurites, malachites, and cuprites are all idiochroma c; they receive their color from copper. However, copper creates different colors in these different spe
Azurites are always blue, malachites are always green, and cuprites are always red. When they occur mixed, these minerals appear as bands and/or “eyes” o
dis nc ve colors.
 A jewelry box carved from azurite with pa erns of malachite and cuprite, 7.62 x 5.38 x 2.54 cm. Photo courtesy of liveauc oneers.com
and Heritage Auc ons.

Since azurite is more unstable than malachite, it o en pseudomorphs into malachite. This means its chemistry changes to malachite while retaining azurite’s
external crystal form.

Azurite’s dis nc ve, intense blue color makes it a popular collector’s stone. However, even small azurites are extremely dark, virtually black. Since azurites h
such low hardness (3.5-4) and great sensi vity to heat, face ng them is also very challenging. This combina on of factors makes faceted azurites very rare.

Square step-cut azurite, 3.48 cts, 8.6 mm, Tsumeb, Namibia. ©

The Gem Trader. Used with permission.

Iden fying Characteris cs

Ar sts have used blue pigments made from azurite since ancient mes. Perhaps not surprisingly, people have confused this stone with lapis lazuli, another w
known historic source of blue pigments. Sodalite, another gem material commonly cabbed and carved, is some mes confused with azurite as well.

Although these materials may show similar colors, azurites have a higher refrac ve index (RI) and specific gravity (SG) as well as a lower hardness. Azurites
birefringent, while lapis and sodalite are not.
 Bri sh ar st Michael Price has researched the pigment prepara on techniques of the Renaissance masters and prepares natural pigments
from minerals like azurite, shown here. “Into the Blue / 20100316.7D.04570 / SML,” photo by See-ming Lee, taken during a visit to
Michael Price’s studio in DUMBO, Brooklyn NYC. Licensed under CC By-SA 2.0.

Synthe cs
Scien sts have synthesized azurites for geological research as well as research into pigments. Crystals have also been created in labs. However, due to azur
physical limita ons, any such lab-created material would make an unlikely op on for jewelry use.

Nevertheless, you can easily find “synthe c azurites” for sale online, especially in jewelry. Be aware that “reconstructed” azurmalachite — a compressed and
stabilized, plas c-impregnated form of azurite and malachite — can be cabbed and has good color and toughness. This material has been available since 198
the latest, and by 1992, imita ons of azurmalachite in jewelry were popular (if not always convincing). More recently, such materials have been found to co
ar ficial veins of copper.

It’s possible vendors are selling this “reconstructed” material or other simulants as “synthe c.” In such cases, “synthe c” means imita on or “fake” in the pop
sense. These stones aren’t iden cal op cally and physically to the natural, mined material. Buyer beware.

Although natural azurite is a coveted collector’s stone, it’s s ll not very well-known to consumers. Thus, some vendors may misrepresent azurites as “coppe
or “Arc c opal,” perhaps to garner more sales interest by associa ng them with more popular gems. Of course, azurites aren’t lapis or opals but a dis nct ge
species.

For more examples of false or misleading gemstone names, read this ar cle.

Enhancements
Azurites generally receive no treatments or enhancements. (“Reconstructed” azurmalachite may receive pore-filling stabiliza on treatments similar to turqu

Vintage 1950s silver bracelet with an azurite stone, Germany. Photo courtesy of liveauc oneers.com
and Trade-Bal c.

Sources
Notable gem-quality locali es include the following:

United States: Morenci and Bisbee, Arizona: banded and massive material, also crystals; Kelly, New Mexico (also other locali es in that state).

Chessy, France: the type locality, material some mes called chessylite, fine crystals in large groups.
“Chessylite,” intergrown royal blue azurites, 3.7 x 3.3 x 3.2 cm, Chessy-les-Mines, Rhone, Rhone-
Alpes, France. © Rob Lavinsky, www.iRocks.com. Used with permission.

Eclipse Mine, Muldiva-Chillagoe area, Queensland, Australia: gemmy crystals up to about 9 grams.

Tsumeb, Namibia: fine, tabular crystals, some facetable in small bits.

 Large cluster of deep-blue azurites, crystals up to 2 cm, Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Otjikoto Region, Namibia. © Rob Lavinsky,
www.iRocks.com. Used with permission.

Zacatecas, Mexico: fine but small crystals.

China; Democra c Republic of Congo; Greece; Italy; Laos; Morocco; Pakistan; Peru; Russia.

Azurites and malachites on a limonite crust, 4.5 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm, Sepon Mine, Vilabouly District, Savannakhet Province, Laos. © Rob
Lavinsky, www.iRocks.com. Used with permission.

Stone Sizes
Facetable crystals are always ny, and cut gems rarely weigh more than a carat. Larger stones would most likely be so dark as to be opaque. Gem cu ers
some mes take dark blue crystalline material and create cabochons up to several inches across.
 “Velvet Beauty,” a stunning azurite specimen, weighs 3 pounds and measures 9” in diameter. It was
discovered in 1890 in Bisbee, Arizona. Photo by cobalt123. Licensed under CC By-SA 2.0.

Care
In addi on to its rela vely low hardness and bri le tenacity, azurite will gradually lose its blue color when exposed to air, heat, and light. Thus, reserve thes
for occasional jewelry use with protec ve se ngs. Store them separately from harder jewelry stones, in darkness, and sealed to reduce contact with air.

Azurites are difficult to facet due to their low hardness, perfect cleavage, and heat sensi vity. Furthermore, their copper content makes their dust toxic. Acc
inges on could lead to acute distress, like vomi ng, and chronic exposure could lead to liver and kidney damage. Faceters should wear protec ve masks an
ideally, use a glovebox to prevent inhaling or inges ng azurite par cles during cu ng and polishing. Wearing or handling finished pieces should pose no ha

Clean these gems only with water, mild detergent, and a so brush. Avoid any cleaner that contains acids.

Consult our gemstone jewelry cleaning guide for more care recommenda ons.
 Azurite dress ring with single-cut diamond highlights, about 2.8 cm across. Photo courtesy of liveauc oneers.com and Fellows.

by Joel E. Arem, Ph.D., FGA, Interna onal Gem Society

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