Morocco Minerals and Fossils

09/08/2026

Vanadinite on barite from the locality of Mibladen Morocco

13/07/2026

Azurite from Kerrouchen, Morocco, is a world-renowned locality for high-quality azurite crystals, recognized by collectors for their deep, intense blue color. Mined in a lush valley near Khénifra, these specimens are prized for their brilliant luster and are often naturally associated with or pseudomorphosed into green malachite.

Kerrouchen azurites typically form as distinct tabular or blocky crystals lining the voids of Triassic-Liassic dolomite. Because azurite is quite soft and chemically unstable under heat or prolonged weathering, these specimens are strictly prized for mineral collections and decorative purposes rather than jewelry.

The small mining town of Kerrouchen (in the Khénifra Province) has been a source for these vibrant specimens since the 1960s, with new pockets still yielding excellent material.

24/06/2026

22/05/2026

Fantastic new big lot of roselite available from the classic old mine of Bouazzer .. morocco
fans

14/05/2026

Vanadinite from Mibladen, Morocco is world-renowned as one of the best deposits of this mineral, offering bright red to brilliant orange hexagonal crystalsLocated near Midelt, this site mines vanadinite, a lead chlorovanadate (\(Pb_5(VO_4)_3Cl\)), often associated with barite and wulfenite. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Main features:

Origin: Mibladen, Upper Moulouya, Morocco.

Chemical Formula: \(Pb_5(VO_4)_3Cl\).

Colour: Deep red, orange, brownish red.

Crystallization: Hexagonal, often in short prismatic crystals or in "barrels".

Formation: Originating from the oxidation of galena, this mineral is the result of hydrothermal processes. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Information for collectors:

The specimens are highly sought after for their brilliance ("glassy and gemmy").

The crystals are often found on a gangue of barite.

The Mibladen mining district is an essential reference for Moroccan mineralogy. [1, 2, 3, 4]

The vanadinite specimens from Mibladen are prized for their aesthetics and perfect crystallization, making them first-rate collector's items. [1, 2, 3]

13/05/2026

Moroccan cerussite, a lead carbonate is renowned worldwide for its high-quality, brilliant crystals, often V-shaped (twinned), mainly extracted in the Mibladen (Midelt) and Touissit regionsThese specimens, prized by collectors, can be transparent to translucent.
Main Cerussite Deposits in Morocco:

Mibladen (Midelt) : This is one of the most famous localities, notably the "Les Dalles" mine, producing dense and well-formed cerussite specimens.

Touissit (Touissit-Bou Beker) : Known for its exceptional cerussite crystals, including euhedral and brilliant specimens, notably from Shaft XII.

Characteristics of Moroccan Specimens:
Shape: Orthorhombic crystals, often twinned (V-shaped or star-shaped).

Colour: Usually colourless, white, grey, or sometimes yellowish/multicoloured.Association: Often found with galena, barite or vanadinite.

Quality: Highly sought after for its brilliance and crystalline perfection.

The cerussite specimens from these mines are very dense collector's items, the lead making the mineral heavy.
fans

08/05/2026

The blue barite of Morocco, particularly that from Jebel Ouichane (Nador),is a rare and prized variety of barium sulfate(\(BaSO_{4}\)Famous for its tabular or prismatic crystals ranging from sky blue to deep blue, it is often associated with limonite or goethite. These aesthetically pleasing specimens, considered some of the finest in the world, are highly sought after by collectors.
Main characteristics and deposits:

Place: Mainly from the mine of Jebel Ouichane , Sagangane, Province of Nador, Region of the Oriental, or the mine of Sidi Lhcen.Appearance: Lustrous, transparent to translucent crystals, bright blue to pale blue in color, forming in parallel groups.Association: Often found on a matrix of brown goethite or limonite .Type of deposit: Hydrothermal veins, often associated with lead and zinc deposits.Interest: A very aesthetically pleasing and sought-after collector's mineral.

Although Morocco is a major producer of industrial barite, the blue variety is specific to these Rif deposits.
fans