azurite [key], blue mineral, the basic carbonate of copper, occurring in monoclinic crystals or masses that range from transparent to translucent and opaque. It is usually associated with malachite, which it resembles except in color; when the two minerals are very closely associated, the stone is called azurmalachite. Beautiful crystals of azurite are found in the United States in Arizona and New Mexico and in France at Chessy (for which the mineral is sometimes called chessylite); they are used for ornamental purposes. The mineral is an important ore of copper.
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