Chrysocolla Mineral Data

General Chrysocolla Information

Chemical Formula:

(Cu,Al)2H2Si2O5(OH)4•n(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 328.42 gm

Aluminum 2.05 % Al 3.88 % Al₂O₃

Copper 33.86 % Cu 42.39 % CuO

Silicon 17.10 % Si 36.59 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.92 % H 17.14 % H₂O

Oxygen 45.06 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu_1.75Al_0.25H_1.75(Si₂O₅)(OH)₄•0.25(H₂O)

Environment:

Mineral of secondary origin commonly associated with other secondary copper minerals.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 315 BC

Locality:

Nizhne-Tagilsk, Ural Mountains, Russia Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named from the Greek chrysos - "gold" and kolla - "glue" in allusion to the name of the material used to solder gold.

Name Pronunciation:

Chrysocolla + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Bisbeeite

Chrysocolla Image

Images:

Chrysocolla

Comments: Botryoidal chrysocolla lining a vug.
Location: Inca del Oro, Copiapó, Chile. Scale: 7.5 x 6 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Images:

Cuprite Chrysocolla

Comments: Semi-metallic, dark reddish gray, cuprite crystals on blue chrysocolla.
Location: Mashamba West mine, Shaba, Congo. Scale: 7.5 x 4.7 x 2.3 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Images:

Tenorite Chrysocolla

Comments: Lustrous black botryoidal Tenorite mostly covering a sky-blue massive chrysocolla matrix.
Location: 79 mine, Banner district, Pinal Co., Arizona. Scale: 5.5 x 3 cm.
© Dan Weinrich

Chrysocolla Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.6404:1:0.7528

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.7, b = 8.9, c = 6.7, Z = 1; V = 339.89 Den(Calc)= 1.60

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic Space Group: Unk

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 1.494(1), 2.92(0.8), 8.3(0.6),

Physical Properties of Chrysocolla

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Green, Bluish green, Blue, Blackish blue, Brown.

Density:

1.9 - 2.4, Average = 2.15

Diaphaneity:

Translucent to opaque

Fracture:

Brittle - Sectile - Brittle fracture with slightly sectile shavings possible.

Habit:

Botryoidal - "Grape-like" rounded forms (e.g.. malachite).

Habit:

Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).

Habit:

Stalactitic - Shaped like pendant columns as stalactites or stalagmites (e.g. calcite).

Hardness:

2.5-3.5 - Finger Nail-Copper Penny

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous - Dull

Streak:

light green

Optical Properties of Chrysocolla

Dichroism (e):

colorless.

Dichroism (w):

pale blue green.

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.19 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.599 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.343,KPDmeas= 0.2553,KC= 0.2145
Ncalc = 1.34 - 1.51

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (+), w=1.46, e=1.57, bire=0.1380-0.1750.

Calculated Properties of Chrysocolla

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.12 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Chrysocolla =2.15 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0082065682
Boson Index = 0.9917934318

Photoelectric:

PE_Chrysocolla= 15.21 barns/electron
U=PE_Chrysocolla x rElectron Density= 32.32 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Chrysocolla is Not Radioactive

Chrysocolla Classification

Dana Class:

74.03.02.01 (74)Phyllosilicate Modulated Layers

(74.03)with joined strips

(74.03.02)Dana Group

74.03.02.01 Chrysocolla (Cu,Al)2H2Si2O5(OH)4•n(H2O) Unk Ortho

Strunz Class:

09.ED.20 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)

09.E - Phyllosilicates

09.ED -Phyllosilicates with kaolinite layers

09.ED.20 Allophane Al2O3•(SiO2)1.3-2•((H2O))2.5-3 None

09.ED.20 Chrysocolla (Cu,Al)2H2Si2O5(OH)4•n(H2O) Unk Ortho

09.ED.20 Neotocite (Mn,Fe)SiO3•(H2O)(?) None

09.ED.20 Imogolite Al2SiO3(OH)4 ? Mono

Other Chrysocolla Information

References:

NAME( Ford32) PHYS. PROP.(Ford32) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Chrysocolla :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - Franklin Minerals(Dunn)
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Glendale Community College
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - QUT Mineral Atlas
15 - Ruff.Info
16 - Scandinavian mineral gallery
17 - Tradeshop.com - The Rainbow of Gems
18 - theimage

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Chrysocolla Specimen Label here :

Chrysocolla

(Cu,Al)2H2Si2O5(OH)4•n(H2O)
Dana No: 74.03.02.01 Strunz No: 09.ED.20
Locality:

Notes:

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