Azurite of Chessy-les-Mines (Rhône 69)

Discover a nice little piece of azurite from Chessy-les-Mines (Rhône 69). Azurite is a hydrated copper carbonate that often has prismatic minerals of an intense blue colour, making it a mineral much appreciated by collectors. Unfortunately, the beautiful blue colour tends to fade in sunlight.

The azurites of Chessy-les-Mines, in the Rhône department (69), are famous for their beauty and exceptional crystalline quality. This copper carbonate mineral is distinguished by its deep blue colour, often with intense brilliance, making it one of the most sought-after specimens among mineral collectors. Exploited since Roman times, the Chessy mines were once one of the main sources of copper in France, and azurites were formed in the oxidation zones of the copper deposits. Chessy azurite crystals are sometimes associated with malachite, another copper mineral, creating striking colour contrasts between azure blue and bright green. Today, although the mines are no longer in operation, the azurites of Chessy remain a historic and aesthetic reference in the world of minerals.