---
license: cc-by-nc-4.0
tags:
- gaussian-splatting
- 3d-reconstruction
- mineralogy
pretty_name: "Azurite Specimen (azur-001) — Gaussian Splat"
originSessionId: fa57a6d8-3a13-409a-b8c2-a786bb4996d2
---
# Azurite Specimen (azur-001) — Gaussian Splat

Azurite specimen from Morenci, AZ (Phelps Dodge / Freeport-McMoRan mine) reconstructed using Gaussian Splatting. DSLR capture with dark matte background achieved excellent COLMAP registration (51/51 frames).

## Specimen Details

- **Mineral:** Azurite
- **Location:** Morenci, AZ (Phelps Dodge / Freeport-McMoRan mine)
- **Listed on:** Borussia Minerals

## Capture Method

- **Device:** DSLR
- **Total frames:** 51 (crystal-cropped session)
- **Background:** Dark matte — excellent for COLMAP
- **COLMAP registration:** 51/51 frames (100%)
- **Coverage:** Multiple orbits, good registration throughout

## Directory Structure

```
images_jpg/         — original JPG captures
images_nobg/        — background-removed images (primary COLMAP input)
images_processed/   — processed variants
  crystal-cropped-7k.ply   — 7,000 iteration PLY (87MB)
  crystal-cropped-15k.ply  — 15,000 iteration PLY (79MB)
images_heic/        — original HEIC captures
colmap_db/          — COLMAP database (raw)
colmap_db_nobg/     — COLMAP database (no-background input)
colmap_db_raw/      — COLMAP database (raw input)
colmap_ws/          — COLMAP workspace
colmap_ws_nobg/     — COLMAP workspace (no-background)
colmap_ws_raw/      — COLMAP workspace (raw)
runs/
  v1-macbook-7k/
    output.ply      — 7,000 iteration Gaussian Splat
  2026-03-19-15000-Drus-MacBook-Pro/
    output.ply      — 15,000 iteration Gaussian Splat
colmap-raw-mapper.log
colmap-raw.log
pipeline.log
notes.md
image-report.json
```

## PLY Iterations

| Run | Iterations | Node | Size | Notes |
|-----|-----------|------|------|-------|
| images_processed/crystal-cropped-7k.ply | 7,000 | GUS | 87MB | First run, downscale 2 |
| images_processed/crystal-cropped-15k.ply | 15,000 | GUS | 79MB | Batch run, downscale 2, **best run** |
| runs/v1-macbook-7k/output.ply | 7,000 | MacBook Pro | — | MacBook re-run |
| runs/2026-03-19-15000/output.ply | 15,000 | MacBook Pro | — | MacBook 15k run |

## Training Pipeline

1. **Structure from Motion:** COLMAP (multiple workspace variants: raw, nobg)
2. **Background removal:** Applied for nobg variants
3. **Gaussian Splat training:** opensplat
4. **Note:** MPS crashes on M1 Mac with this point cloud density — use `--cpu` flag on Mama

## Known Issues

- MPS crashes on M1 Mac (always use `--cpu` on Mama for this specimen)
- Loss still dropping at 15k — 100k run attempted but not included (in-progress at time of export)

## Viewing PLY Files

Use [SuperSplat](https://supersplat.dev/) to view `.ply` Gaussian Splat files in-browser.