Fake Ajoite and Papagoite

With the limited supply and huge demand for Ajoite in the metaphysical community,  low grade specimens of Chrysocolla are regularly offered as "Ajoite" on Ebay.   Indeed, these fraudulent offers dominate the market. 

The best way to protect yourself against fraud is education.   Take the time to research the minerals you're interested in purchasing.  This will not only help to ensure you are purchasing correctly identified minerals, but will also help you to recognise the quality of specimen you are purchasing.  The web has a number of good resources for mineralogy, but there is no substitute for a good book.  I usually reccomend that you spend 10% of your yearly mineral allowance on good mineral books.   The informed specimen purchases that you make with the remaining 90% will surely be money better spent.   One excellent all purpose guide is "Minerals and Their Localities" by Bernard and Hyrsl.   If you specialize in any particular locality or type of mineral specimen, there is likely a text available dealing with your needs.

But for this guide, I would like to focus on Ajoite and Papagoite, two of my favorite mineral species.  Ajoite and Papagoite were first discovered at the New Cornelia Mine, Ajo, Pima co., Arizona.     The Ajoite forms as turquoise blue needles with a silky luster, usually as fracture surface coatings.  Papagoite forms brilliant sky blue microcrystals and crusts.   It is important to note that these minerals are monochromatic.  They always occur in the same color, with little to no variation.   Ajoite has been identified at several localities in Arizona, though specimens are difficult to come by.  Ajo remained the only locality for Papagoite until the finds at Messina.  I am attaching photos of two typical specimens from this locality.

Ajoite from the New Cornelia Mine:

Papagoite from the New Cornelia mine:

In 1985, spectacular specimens of Ajoite and Papagoite included in Quartz Crystals was discovered at the Messina, South Africa.  These beautiful crystals fetched deservedly high prices at the time, and are prized by collectors whether they be of a metaphysical or of a scientific mind.  The demand for these specimens skyrocketed when a prominent metaphysical crystal writer touted these specimens as master healers, capable of erasing all negative qualities simply by keeping a specimen on your person.  I have tested this theory, with poor results.  Regardless, the demand skyrocketed while the supply remained limited.  To my knowledge, there has only been one small recent find of these included crystals since 1985.   The minerals were always found as inclusions in crystalline quartz, never as freegrowing crystals.  Note that the coloration of the minerals is consistent with the specimens from Arizona.  The Papagoite from Arizona appears brighter due to the thin, crystallized later reflecting light. 

Ajoite in Quarts from Messina:

Papagoite in Quartz from Messina:

Some years ago, I noticed a strange green material in massive, milky quartz offered as Ajoite from Messina.   Suddenly, everyone had the stuff.  Subsequent testing proved that this material was simply low grade Chrysocolla, not even worth the price of postage.  Over the years, I began to notice that the material was not only offered as Ajoite, but also as Papagoite.   Remember that both of these species occur in shades of blue, and from messina are found in quartz crystals.   Some sellers even tout this material as coming from Arizona, or stranger yet, from Michigan-- a state that has no verified localities for Ajoite! 

I have contacted many of these sellers to provide information on the fraudulent nature of these specimens, and that they should return their stock to it's source and demand a refund.  Somewhere, a wholesaler has made a fortune off this junk and should be prosecuted.    Usually, I recieve no response from the sellers and the auctions continue, week after week.   One seller wrote back to inform me that they had consulted with the crystal, who told them it was indeed Ajoite.   If such sellers are so bold as to continue offering this material after being informed of their mistake, I shudder to think of what other errors may lie in their inventory. 

I do not have a photo of this fake material to provide, but you can find dozens of examples simply by searching for Ajoite or Papagoite on Ebay.  The vast majority of specimens offered are inauthentic.  If it's green, noncrystalline, and appears on massive milky quartz-- it's worthless. 

Ebay has a large number of educated, professional mineral dealers who strive to offer authentic specimens and quality service, but even the best dealer makes mistakes.   The professional dealer will always correct errors when they are pointed out, and offer a full refund for any specimen found to be identified in error.   The professional dealer will offer the facts on a mineral specimen, without the steep surcharge for channelled mystical knowledge of the specimens extraterrestrial origins.   The professional dealer gets his facts from books, not otherworldly entities. 

Kind Regards,

Michael D. Cline