The Ojuela (pronounced Oh-who-AY-la) Mine 5 miles northwest of the city of Durango, Mexico is home to over 117 species of unique minerals that naturally form in the oxidation zones of copper-zinc deposits. It is an underground labyrinth of workings that spans over 450 kilometers that was discovered by a group of Spanish prospectors in 1598. It was mined for the purpose of extracting metal ore for over 350 years but came to the attention of mineralogists seeking specimens in the mid 1900’s. Large scale commercial mining operations shut down in the 1940’s rendering it a “ghost town” but the Ojuela mine and other smaller mines in the surrounding area of the Mapimi mining district of Mexico continue to be mined for collector specimens. The mines contain many minerals with long scientific names that we don’t hear about often, but superb specimens of Adamite, Fluorite, Calcite, Hemimorphite, Rosasite, Aurichalcite, and Wulfenite all abound from this region.
Rosasite is an uncommon secondary mineral found in the oxidation zones of copper- zinc deposits. It was named in 1908 after the Rosas mine where it was originally discovered in Sardinia, Italy. A large percentage of Rosasite sold in the current retail market is from the Ojuela Mine although it has also been found in England, Namibia and the USA. It is a soft mineral with a hardness of only 4 and is blue or blue-green in
color. The individual mineral Rosasite belongs to a larger group of minerals deemed “The Rosasite Group”. Malachite is chemically similar to the mineral and is also a member of the Rosasite Group. Being a secondary mineral Rosasite grows alongside and intertwined with many other minerals including hemimorphite, calcite, smithsonite, quartz, malachite, aurichalcite, azurite and dolomite to name a few.
Metaphysical Properties: Links the heart and throat chakra; aids in communicating your true thoughts and feelings; helps one to trust intuition and keep faith in the process of emotional healing
Aurichalcite is a very fragile mineral with a hardness of only 2 and a pale blue-green to white color. It was named in 1839 referencing the greek word “orichalcum” which was used in ancient writings including the story of Atlantis. This “orichalcum” was believed to be a valuable metal second only to gold in value. Aurichalcite’s crystals are a variety of shapes that can display mats of thin needles, botryoidal formations, crusts, scales and sometimes tabular formations. Aurichalcite is considered to be a natural brass ore although it is too fragile and scarce to actually extract brass from the mineral. Its zinc to copper ratio is 5:4. It should also not be washed in water due to its fragility.
Metaphysical Properties: Aids one during mediation and helps to develop inner peace; Activates third eye chakra and psychic gifts