There are two places out in the La Sal mountain area South of Moab where you will find bubbles of earth containing azurite, malachite, and chrysocolla.  One of them is the Blue Crystal Mine, owned by Bill and Ekaterina Harrison (website: http://bluecrystalmines.com/Blue_Crystal_Mines/Home).

[Edit] ***The only way you will be able to collect at this location is through the folks at the Rockpick Legend rock shop in Salt Lake City. They will organize field trips to this location. Aside from these trips, this is a private mine that is not open to the public. Please do not just show up at this location expecting to collect and please do not call the mine owners. If you collect without permission you will be ticketed.***

I had the opportunity to go on one of the field trips led by Rick from Rockpick Legend. There were about 15-20 people in total and we had the whole of all of the mine tailings to ourselves!

Mostly, what you will find there are what they call “blueberries”–little concretions of azurite (You can find the same concretions of malachite balls, but I guess people like the bright blue better than the green ha ha ha). The value increases the larger they are because of the rarity of the larger specimens.

Sometimes you can find gemmy azurite or even azurite geodes. If you cut any of these open (including the blueberries) you will find that the blue gets darker, sparklier, and prettier toward the center. Bill has a small shop on site where you can purchase specimens up to $1000.

Directions to Blue Crystal Mine:

From the intersection of 800 North and I-15 in Orem, Utah

1. Drive South on I-15 for 13.5 miles to Spanish Fork exit 258. Stay left onto Highway 6

2. Drive Southeast on Highway 6 for 127 miles until you hit I-70

3. Turn left (East) on I-70 for 23.7 miles to exit 182 and turn right onto Southbound Highway 191

4. Drive for 53.7 miles on Highway 191 through Moab and turn left (East) on UT-46

5. Drive 6.5 miles on UT-46 until you hit Lisbon Road/Highway 113 and turn right (South)

6. Continue 5 miles on Lisbon Road/Highway 113 until you reach your destination (the road cuts right through the middle of the mine)