Uniquely beautiful and extremely rare, our Australian Chrysocolla was mined around 2014 in the Northern Territory’s Central Desert Region. An acclaimed gemstone locale, this region’s famed deposits are remote, inhospitable, and challenging. Displaying exclusively individual, gorgeous patterns of bright azures, emerald forests, and rich turquoises, interspersed with stunning swatches of chocolate, this all-natural Chrysocolla Quartz fusion also possesses a bright luster and everyday wear-ability. Unfortunately, like so many Aussie gemstones, Australian Chrysocolla’s availability is extremely erratic and unpredictable.
Hardness 6.5 – 7
Refractive Index 1.530 – 1.540
Relative Density 2.60 – 2.64
Enhancement None
Beauty
Australian Chrysocolla features beautiful blues, browns, and greens in a highly-desirable medium saturation (strength of color) and tone (lightness or darkness of color), the marketplace ideal. Each gem has its own beautiful mottling, making every Australian Chrysocolla individually unique. The colorful appearance of Australian Chrysocolla is also wonderfully highlighted by a bright, vitreous (glassy) luster.
Often confused with Turquoise due to its hue, Chrysocolla’s major value determinants are color (bright colorful designs) and lapidary quality (polish condition). Australian Chrysocolla’s optimally cut ‘en cabochon’ (cut in convex form and highly polished, but not faceted) to accentuate their signature color patterns. Expertly cut by experienced lapidaries in the famous Indian gem city of Jaipur, home to some of the world’s best gem-cutters, Australian Chrysocolla is carefully formed into attractive smooth domes with a desirable proportion, shape, and symmetry, also maintaining a superior mirrorlike polish, affording an excellent luster.
First referenced by Theophrastus in 315 BC, Chrysocolla is named from the Greek ‘chryso’ (gold) and ‘kola’ (glue), in reference to a material once used to solder gold. Theophrastus (371 – 287 BC), a Greek native of Lesbos, was the successor to Aristotle. His interests were wide ranging, including a surviving work, ‘On Stones’. The name ‘Chrysocolla’ was revived in 1808 by French geologist and mineralogist André-Jean-François-Marie Brochant de Villiers (1772 – 1840). A hydrated copper silicate, Chrysocolla is a minor copper ore displaying a variety of colorful patterns due to the oxidization of copper, manganese and iron. While pure Chrysocolla is too soft for jewelry, it often appears inter-grown with Quartz, making the gem hard and durable. Typically found as glassy rounded masses or bubbly crusts, there’re no known pure crystals of Chrysocolla; its ‘crystals’ are always pseudomorphs, consisting of one mineral, but having the form of the one it replaced. Aside from Quartz, Chrysocolla is also found mixed with Azurite, Malachite, Opal, and Turquoise.
Rarity
Found as a mineral wherever copper deposits naturally occur, gemmy Chrysocolla is very scarce, with notable locations in Australia, Peru, Russia, and the USA. While Australia has over 300 Chrysocolla mineral deposits in all states and territories, gem-quality crystals are very rare, inconsistent, and infrequent.
The Central Desert Region is very remote, waterless desert, with scattered mountain ranges. While there are no major towns, there’re several widely dispersed indigenous communities and pastoral stations. Artlunga Goldfield, Winnecke Goldfield, and Harts Range Gemstone Field interest most fossickers and miners, with gemstone deposits outside these areas even more remote, mountainous, and very difficult.
The cutting yield was around 15 percent, only slightly lower than the usual 20 – 35 percent return on gem minerals. While over 90 percent of gemstones are enhanced, Australian Chrysocolla is totally natural and unenhanced, accentuating desirability, rarity, and value. A critical attribute for top qualities, Chrysocolla is often resin stabilized and/or dyed.
Durability & Care
A durable everyday jewelry gemstone, Australian Chrysocolla (Mohs’ Hardness: 6.5 – 7) should always be stored carefully to avoid scuffs and scratches. Clean with gentle soap and lukewarm water, scrubbing behind the gem with a very soft toothbrush as necessary. After cleaning, pat dry with a soft towel or chamois cloth.
Map Location
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