CUPRIAN ADAMITE & AUSTINITE

Set within red-brown host rock, multiple vugs are filled in with a rich covering of bright green cuprian adamite, as well as some well-crystallized calcite to the side. The banding of these pockets run in a way that appears very symmetrical. Both sides of the piece display well, with the back also displaying crystals of cuprian austinite with a subtle color and more elongated habit.     More info: Cuprian adamite and austinite from the Ojuela deposit occur within oxidized zinc-arsenic-copper zones of this limestone-hosted ore body, where they form as late-stage minerals in open spaces and fractures. The crystals display characteristic prismatic habits reaching 1.5 cm, with cuprian adamite exhibiting distinct blue-green coloration due to copper substitution, while austinite shows pale green to yellowish tints reflecting varying zinc-calcium ratios. Both species commonly occur as parallel growths and epitaxial intergrowths, suggesting contemporaneous formation under oxidizing conditions