ROWLEY MINE CHRYSOCOLLA

This mix of copper minerals is reminiscent of the Inspiration Mine chrysocolla. Much of what has been dug out has a beautiful color array of blues, greens, reds and yellow, plus a really nice strata pattern."

- RUSS KANIUTH

In 1899, Jack Rowley discovered an outcropping in the middle of Maricopa County, Arizona, which turned out to be a gold-bearing copper vein. Over the years, many copper minerals have been mined there, including gold, wulfenite and lead.

FINDING CHRYSOCOLLA

Chrysocolla had always been present, but it was never the miner's main focus to dig. It still wasn't until just a couple of years ago, when miner, Ed Davis Jr., unearthed a solid, silicated chrysocolla from the mine. This mix of copper minerals is reminiscent of the Inspiration Mine chrysocolla. Much of what has been dug out has a beautiful color array of blues, greens, reds and yellow, plus a really nice strata pattern.

To obtain some of this material, Ed Davis Jr. can be easily found on Facebook, where he posts available slabs.