Liufengshan Mine
Guichi District, Chizhou, Anhui, China
六峰山铜矿床, 贵池区, 池州市, 安徽省, 中国
Key Information
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The Liufengshan Mine is in Guichi District, Chizhôu, Anhui, China, a region known for its natural beauty and cultural heritage.
It produces azurite and malachite, prized by collectors for their vibrant colors.
The mine features a leaching-accumulation copper-iron deposit in Carboniferous limestone caves with Quaternary gravels.
Mining likely occurred in the early 2000s and may now be closed, based on recent specimen dates.
The area has a rich Buddhist and poetic culture, with Mount Jiūhuá nearby, and a humid subtropical climate.
Geographic Location
The Liufengshan Mine is located in Guichi District, part of Chizhôu City in Anhui Province, East China. Chizhôu sits in the southern part of Anhui, near the Jiangxi Province border, and is known for its limestone mountains and scenic beauty, making it appealing for mineral enthusiasts and tourists alike.
Minerals Produced
The mine is famous for azurite, with its deep blue hue, and malachite, known for vibrant green, both copper carbonate minerals highly valued by collectors for their aesthetic appeal and crystalline forms.
Geological Structure
Research suggests the mine is a leaching-accumulation type copper-iron deposit, hosted in Quaternary gravels within erosion caves of Carboniferous limestones. This process involves metals leaching from surrounding rocks and accumulating in the gravels, forming the secondary minerals azurite and malachite.
Mining History
It seems likely that the mine was active in the early 2000s, with specimens dated to 2003 and 2005, and evidence leans toward it being closed recently, as good azurite is now hard to find in China.
Local Culture and Characteristics
Chizhôu has a deep cultural heritage, visited by ancient Chinese poets and known for Buddhist culture, poetry, drama, and tea. Mount Jiūhuá, one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains, is nearby in Qingyang county, adding historical depth.
Climate and Ecology
The area has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, wet summers and cooler, dry winters, earning it the nickname "natural oxygen bar" for its ecological richness.