Lyla Lindsey
Azurite is a soft, deep-blue copper mineral produced by the weathering of copper ore deposits. It is a popular mineral among collectors due to its colour, crystal size, and accessibility. In Australia, azurite has been found in the mines of Cobar, the Mount Hope District in New South Wales, and the Girofla Mine in Mungana, Queensland. The Albert Chapman Mineral Collection, now housed in the Australian Museum, includes 12 specimens of azurite from Cobar. The Mineral Hill field in the Condobolin district of New South Wales, the DeGrussa Copper Mine in Western Australia, and the Yudnamutana District in South Australia are also known sources of azurite.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Australian States | New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory |
| Specific Locations | Mineral Hill Field, DeGrussa Copper Mine, Yudnamutana District, Malbunka Copper Mine, Cobar, Broken Hill, Mount Hope District, Girofla Mine |
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What You'll Learn
Azurite in New South Wales
Azurite, also known as Azure spar, is a soft, deep-blue copper mineral produced by the weathering of copper ore deposits. It is a common mineral and is popular among collectors due to its accessibility, appealing colour, and large crystal sizes.
Azurite has been found in various locations in New South Wales, Australia. One notable locality is the Mineral Hill field in the Condobolin district, Kennedy Co. This location is specifically known for its azurite occurrences.
The copper mines of Mount Hope District in central New South Wales have also yielded significant azurite specimens. These crystals, up to 3 cm in size, were bright and lustrous, often found in groups resembling roses.
In addition, there is an old generic term, "Robinson," which was once used to describe a vast region of western and central New South Wales. Within this large geographic area, there are over ten major localities for well-crystallised azurite.
The Broken Hill orebody in New South Wales is also known for producing azurite. The Australian Museum houses a magnificent plate of dark blue azurite crystals from this location, acquired by Albert Chapman in the 1950s.
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Broken Hill mines
Broken Hill, in far-western New South Wales, is one of the world's largest lead-zinc-silver ore deposits. It is also known for its azurite, a well-known mineral named for its colour. The word 'azure' is derived from the Arabic word for blue. The azurite crystals found at Broken Hill are medium to dark blue in colour and can be up to 15 cm in length.
The most notable azurite deposit of Broken Hill spanned between the Proprietary and Block 14 mines. Azurite is unstable in open air and is often pseudomorphically replaced by malachite, a process that involves the replacement of some of the carbon dioxide (CO2) units with water (H2O). The most striking occurrences of malachite at Broken Hill are the partial pseudomorphs from azurite crystals, which feature a beautiful contrast of deep blue and green. Azurite’s blue colour is caused by the presence of copper, a strong colouring agent.
The Broken Hill mines were established in 1885 when rich silver ore was discovered. This discovery led to the formation of the Broken Hill Proprietary Co., which grew to become BHP-Billiton, one of the largest mining companies in the world. BHP left Broken Hill in the 1940s but continues to operate in Australia, particularly in Western Australia.
Albert Chapman, a renowned mineral collector, acquired a magnificent plate of dark blue azurite crystals from a Broken Hill mine 'trucker' in the 1950s. This specimen, known as the Albert Chapman Collection, is now housed in the Australian Museum in Sydney. It is recognised for its mineralogical diversity, crystal perfection, aesthetic appeal, and high Australian content.
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Cobar mines
Cobar is a historic mining town in New South Wales, Australia. The town has a long history as a mining region for base metals and gold, with copper production beginning in the late 1800s. Today, mining remains the key industry in Cobar, employing about 40% of the local workforce.
The Cobar mines have produced significant mineral specimens, including azurite. The Albert Chapman mineral collection, one of the last great private Australian collections, featured 12 azurite specimens from Cobar. These were acquired by Chapman in the mid-1950s from Armstrong's nephew, who had inherited them from his late uncle, the first manager of the Great Cobar mine.
The Great Cobar Project, an initiative by Aurelia Metals, aims to further develop the mining potential of the region. The project is expected to generate substantial economic benefits, including creating over 140 skilled jobs and providing a $143 million investment boost to the Far West region. The project will focus on extracting high-grade zinc, gold, copper, and lead.
In addition to the Great Cobar mine, there are several other mines in the region, including the CSA copper and silver mine, the Peak copper, gold, zinc, and lead mine, and the Tritton copper mine. These mines contribute significantly to the local economy and showcase the rich mineral resources found in the Cobar region.
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DeGrussa Copper Mine, Western Australia
DeGrussa Copper Mine, owned by Sandfire Resources, is located in Doolgunna Station, Peak Hill Mining District, Meekatharra Shire, Western Australia. It is one of the Asia-Pacific region's leading high-grade copper mines, producing up to 300,000 tonnes of high-grade copper concentrate annually, making it the largest copper producer in Western Australia. The mine also produces over a tonne of gold each year. DeGrussa Copper Mine is situated 900 kilometres north of Perth and 150 kilometres north of Meekatharra, in the Peak Hill Mineral Field. It is hosted within the Bryah Basin, one of several Palaeo-Proterozoic depositional basins in the eastern region of the Capricorn Orogen, a significant tectonic unit between the Archaean Pilbara Craton and the Yilgarn Craton.
The DeGrussa copper-gold massive sulphide deposit is a volcanic-hosted massive sulphide (VHMS) deposit. It is found beneath a layer of scree and sheet wash deposits on gentle slopes mantling an upland area of exposed bedrock and relic duricrust. The deposit has a strike length of 180 metres, an average thickness of 20 metres, and a vertical extent of 300 metres. It is mined through underground workings and an open pit.
The mine's oxide-copper zone contains minerals such as malachite, chrysocolla, native copper, and minor cuprite. A secondary supergene chalcocite blanket lies beneath this zone, directly above fresh primary sulphides. To date, four lenses of copper-rich massive sulphides have been discovered.
Sandfire Resources has committed to introducing one of the mining industry's largest integrated off-grid solar power systems at DeGrussa. The company signed a deal with juwi Renewable Energy to construct a $40 million solar power station to power the mine and its operations, reducing the mine's carbon emissions by an estimated 12,000 tonnes annually. This solar power station will be integrated with the existing 20-megawatt diesel-fired power station, lessening the mine's dependence on diesel fuel and providing a significant environmental benefit.
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Malbunka Copper Mine, Northern Territory
The Malbunka Copper Mine is located in the Areyonga, Gardiner Range, MacDonnell Region, Northern Territory, Australia. It is operated by Dehne McLaughlin under an agreement with the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 and a Mineral Lease (ML 29494) granted by the Northern Territory Government. Dehne, a mineral collector with a background in geology, runs the mine for mineral specimen recovery.
The Malbunka Copper Mine is known for its high-quality azurite specimens, including crystalline lustrous blue azurite nodules and the location-specific azurite "suns". Azurite is a soft, deep-blue copper mineral that forms through the weathering of copper ore deposits. It has been valued since ancient times for its colour and is mentioned in Pliny the Elder's "Natural History" under the Greek name "kuanos" and the Latin name "caeruleum".
Azurite is often found in association with the chemically similar malachite, creating a striking colour combination of deep blue and bright green that indicates the presence of copper ores. The mineral is relatively common and accessible, making it popular among collectors. The crystals can be large, with a high lustre, and the largest azurite crystal in the collection of the Australian Museum was acquired from a Broken Hill mine in the 1950s.
In addition to azurite, the Malbunka Copper Mine is also known for producing other minerals such as atacamite. The mine has been the subject of exploration and underground mining activities, with a decline started in 2009 to access high-quality specimens.
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Frequently asked questions
Azurite is found in various locations in Australia, including New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia.
Azurite can be found in the Mount Hope District, the Broken Hill area, the Cobar mines, and the Mineral Hill field in the Condobolin district.
In Queensland, azurite is found in the Girofla Mine in Mungana. In South Australia, it is found in the Yudnamutana District of Arkaroola. In Western Australia, it is found in the DeGrussa Copper Mine in the Meekatharra Shire.
Yes, the Albert Chapman Mineral Collection, now housed in the Australian Museum, includes a number of well-crystallised azurite specimens from the mines of Cobar. The Australian Museum also has other notable azurite specimens, including one from the Girofla Mine in Queensland.
