Arizona Gemstones


Arizona has long been famous as a producer of turquoise, peridot, and petrified wood. Gemstones such as azurite, chrysocolla, and malachite are associated with Arizona’s many copper deposits and have a long history of being produced there. Agate, amethyst, garnet, jade, jasper, obsidian, onyx, and opal have all been found in Arizona and used to make gems.

The photo here shows several cabochons cut from Arizona copper minerals. They are an oval of chrysocolla and malachite on the left; three triangular cabs of azurite and malachite in the center; and on the right, a quartz cabochon with chrysocolla inclusions. All materials were found in the Morenci area, a famous copper locality.

Arizona malachite, azurite, chrysocolla

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