Copper Ore - Malachite, Azurite, Chrysocolla on Limonitic Gossan

Touissit, Touissit-Bou Beker mining district, Jerada Province, Oriental Region, Morocco

Malachite, azurite, and chrysocolla are all ore minerals of copper that form as copper weathers in the ground. Interestingly they can form off of each other as well, as they deteriorate which often creates fabulous mixes of the three like you see here. These three copper minerals have been mined and processed for thousands of years for their sweet sweet copper content! Malachite alone is nearly 60% copper by volume! Wow!