Choloalite crystals from Tombstone, AZ, USA – micromount as unique piece
This micromount specimen with Choloalite crystals from Tombstone, USA, shows a very attractive and vividly colored appearance. The bright green to yellowish green areas contrast strongly with the darker matrix, making this piece especially appealing for collectors of rare secondary minerals.
The Choloalite crystals occur as fine lustrous coatings and tiny crystalline aggregates. Individual crystal forms are only partly visible, but the aggregates create a lively textured surface with a clearly recognizable crystalline character.
Geology & Origin
Choloalite is a rare secondary copper mineral that forms in the oxidation zone of copper rich deposits. It develops through the alteration of primary copper minerals under oxidizing conditions often involving halogen bearing solutions.
The deposits around Tombstone in Arizona are historically significant and well known for a wide variety of secondary copper and lead minerals. The oxidized zones of these deposits regularly yield rare and visually appealing mineral formations.