Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2- Azurite
Monoclinic crystal of carbonate and hydroxide found with traces of copper
Crystal Phenomena
Small glittering indigo-blue crystals are dispersed on the surface of stone, along with an amalgamation of coppery-red and emerald blue-green. Traces of azurite are often found near copper veins, and the deep blue is usually paired with the blue-green malachite.
A thin layer of stunning blue crystals coat the stone, but it has a surprisingly dense and intense depth to its appearance. While the mineral can be harvested and has been used as a pigment for things such as oil paint, azurite is more commonly collected for its aesthetic appeal.
Unstable Crystal
Both Malachite (See Macro Mineral Study I) and Azurite are commonly found near and around raw copper ore. There are several chemical reactions that cause the formation for these blue minerals near exposed copper ore.
Not always are both found, because azurite is specifically insecure. It is susceptible to decay from excess exposure to heat and light, saline solutions like seawater and has to be kept in a cool dry places. Overtime the crystals can exchange some of the carbonate with water, and change color and form into malachite.
The patina of exposed copper also shares a similar sea-green color to the malachite, together being a very bright and colorful sediment.
Minerals in Art
A Conclusion
There are many interesting and peculiar characteristics that the substances of the world around us can have, and while many of them have brought uses in industries and science alike, they also retain a simple and impactful beauty that is unique to each mineral composition.
Not only are minerals essential in chemistry and ecology, but I would argue that they have had a significant effect on mankind over the centuries in other ways. They have inspired forms and colors beyond our imaginations. The provide intricate and multi-faceted geometries to study, and are the substances first carved to make art.
They inspire and drive whole civilizations, from precious gemstones with magical and translucent appearances, to practical and malleable metals that are formed into weapons and art. They have inspired scientists and influence the world of optics and knowledge of the behaviors of light.
For me they also provide a contemplative solace, a macro world of intricate crevasses and infinite reflections. With colors so ingrained in the structure of the molecules, minerals interact directly with the color wavelengths of light to produce mesmerizingly vibrant and intense, and pure color. Stones and minerals often go unnoticed in this computerized age, where a screen outshines with an array of illuminated and changing colors.
I like to image a world where you might see a deep color of blue once or twice in your entire life, where purple is a color exclusive to royalty. In the past, rare stones and minerals might have been the easiest way for people to see such vibrant and alluring colors. Perhaps finding natural deposits of some bright and colorful stone never before imagined would have been an overwhelming and though-provoking experience.
When I take photographs of these mineral up close, sometimes I capture a similar but fleeting experience too, like I'm witnessing these colors in their raw form for the very first time. This series of macro mineral studies has been an encouraging and informative exploration into the substances that inspired alchemists and the natural sciences, artists and the normal observers like you and me.
