The Stone: Chrysocolla
- natural
- unstabilized
The Weight: 98.63 carats
The Origin: Morenci, Arizona
The Cut: Polished Freeform Cabochon
- stone measurements: 51.24mm x 28.06mm x 8.95mm
About Chrysocolla:
Chrysocolla, high grade material referred to as “gem silica,” is a blue to green mineral colored by a high copper content. The mineral is often found in copper mines alongside turquoise, malachite, and azurite. Crystalized chrysocolla is rare but available on the market; material typically forms en masse. Chrysocolla’s translucency helps differentiate it from opaque turquoise.
Chrysocolla is known to vary in durability. While pendants and earrings are always safe, only some pieces can be worn in rings every day. Material ranges from 2 to 7 on the Mohs hardness scale depending entirely on the amount of silica (or quartz) in the stone’s makeup. Generally, dark navy blue pieces are softer, while cyan, green, and blue-green pieces are harder. It is not recommended to put chrysocolla in chemical silver cleaner unless you know for certain it is agatized (the result of having a high silica content).