Over 3000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians used ground Azurite as a color pigment for their paintings and, mixed with egg white, for eye make-up. The use of Azurite also has a long tradition in many other regions of the world, e.g. among the indigenous population in the southwest of what is now the USA and in the Chinese Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). In Europe, the mineral was used by Albrecht Dürer and other Renaissance painters. The blue Azurite was usually only used as a base color - the much more expensive lapis lazuli was used as the top color.
Through contact with oxygen in the air, Azurite is gradually transformed into the green mineral Malachite - which is why the sky in older paintings sometimes has a distinct green tint. With the invention of "Prussian blue" at the beginning of the 18th century, Azurite lost its importance as a pigment, but is still used today in the restoration of old paintings.
The mineral was given its name in 1824 by the French mineralogist Francois Beudant in reference to the color "azure". The Latin word "azzurum" for blue is derived from the Persian ("lazaward", i.e. "sky blue") - the French Mediterranean region of Cote d'Azur also got its name from this term.
A close relative of the blue Azurite is the bright green Malachite. Depending on the CO2 content of the solution from which the minerals are formed, Malachite or Azurite is created. If the CO2 content changes at a later stage, Azurite transforms into Malachite, but retains its typical crystal form. Mineralogists call this process "pseudomorphosis".
This beautiful collector's specimen of azurite malachite comes from the Alnif Oumjrane region in the south of Morocco.
GPSR
| Manufacturer | Marco Schreier Mineralienhandlung GmbH, Im Osterholz 1, 71636 Ludwigsburg, Germany, www.marcoschreier.com Contact |
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Minerals and gemstones for collecting and gifts: Azurite on matrix (Morocco), 07 - 10cm
Hello! My name is Marco Schreier, founder of the Mineralienhandlung GmbH of the same name, a specialist wholesaler for minerals, fossils, gemstones, tumbled stones, collector's objects and gift items made of stone. In the year 1998 I founded the brand Maulwurf Geschenke aus der Natur® in order to combine our product range for resellers, museum shops, dealers and other commercial users of the precious stones with our quality guarantee.
You will only receive mineralogically correctly identified stones from us, which promote the joy of collecting and experiencing the precious treasures of nature. Treatments such as coatings or coloring are always declared. Our own production in Asia guarantees the best quality at attractive wholesale prices and fair and transparent product procurement. I personally vouch for this.