GEM KNOWLEDGE · LABORATORY NOTES
Chessylite Azurite
The tested Brazilian specimen is a muscovite/quartz schist affected by copper mineralization, containing azurite and/or malachite, some chrysocolla and gypsum or anhydrite.
Collection name: Chessylite Azurite · Sample 1208 · #7 Brazilian sample · Approximately 4.8 cm · December 24, 2024.
What the collection name represents
Chessylite Azurite is retained as the collection name for our patterned polished pieces. The laboratory describes an assemblage rather than a specimen made entirely of one mineral: abundant muscovite and quartz, abundant copper carbonate identified as azurite and/or malachite, some chrysocolla, and gypsum or anhydrite.
Copper mineralization in a schist
The analyst interprets the specimen as a muscovite/quartz schist that experienced copper mineralization. Copper carbonates contribute to the blue and green portions, while muscovite and quartz form important parts of the host material.
The report proposes that an earlier copper sulfide might have oxidized, producing azurite/malachite and chrysocolla. Sulfate released in that process could have reacted with a calcium-bearing mineral to form gypsum or anhydrite. This is a possible formation explanation, not a directly proven sequence.
Keep the identification at the report’s level
The report retains azurite and/or malachite and gypsum or anhydrite as alternatives. We preserve those limits rather than choose one mineral in each pair from the collection’s trade name alone. Brazil is included in the submitted sample description.
View the original test results
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Original analytical report submitted by Soul Body Gems; Maine Mineral & Gem Museum laboratory. Original figures, wording and tables retained.
Read the report as text
Analytical Result Report Sample id: 1208 (#7 Brazilian sample) Submitted by: Soul Body Gems Date completed: 12-24-2024 Operating conditions: An AMRAY 1830 SEM operated at 25 kV acceleration potential, 24 mm working distance, 0 degrees sample tilt, coated with 250 Å carbon, and also using the attached XRF unit operated at 30 kV. Fig. 1: Photograph of the specimens. 4.8 cm maximum dimensions. Fig.2: Backscattered electron image of an area of the specimen. Fig. 3: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 1 in Fig. 2. (muscovite) Fig. 4: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 2 in Fig. 2. (copper carbonate, malachite/azurite) Fig. 5: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 4 in Fig. 2. (gypsum or anhydrite) Fig. 6: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 4 in Fig. 2. (quartz). Fig. 7: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 8 in Fig. 2. (gypsum or anhydrite). Fig.8: Backscattered electron image of another area of the specimen. Fig. 9: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 1 in Fig. 8. (muscovite). Fig. 10: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 3 in Fig. 8. (chrysocolla). Fig. 11: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 4 in Fig. 8. (azurite/malachite). Summary of findings: This specimen (Fig. 1) is evidently a muscovite/quartz schist which has experienced a copper mineralization. Muscovite is abundant (Figs. 2, 3, 8, and 9). A copper carbonate, azurite and/or malachite is abundant (Figs. 2, 4, 8 and 11). Surprisingly, gypsum or anhydrite is also present (Figs. 2, 5, and 7). This mineral usually appears with rough surface due to its softness. Quartz is abundant (Figs. 2 and 6). And some chrysocolla has also been noted (Figs. 8 and 10. It is possible that a copper sulfide was originally present which got oxidized producing the azurite/malachite and chrysocolla and the sulfate produced may have reacted with some calcium species such as calcite to produce the gypsum or anhydrite. Date: 12-24-2024 Signature