Acarí District, Caravelí Province, Arequipa, Peru

70 km SSE of Nazca.

Chrysocolla occurs in many small veins, which are operated by a large number of independent artisanal miners. It is green, green-blue to blue and is often mixed with malachite.

Chrysocolla chalcedony was very rarely found at Acari. An excellent quality cabochons up to 30 ct were cut from this material.

Massive metallic blue covellite suitable for cabochons. Density 4.26, hardness 2.

Malachite is quite common, but it occurs in Acari almost always in a mixture with chrysocolla. Some recent malachite rough yielded nice cabochons but they are quite rare.

Colourless and gray transparent opal as well as opaque white opal with black dendrites is known from this area.

J. Hyrsl (2012) Gemstones of Peru, pp. 49, 53, 56

Gemstone List

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Localities in this Region

Peru
  • Arequipa
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