Dioptase Mineral Data
General Dioptase Information
Chemical Formula:
CuSiO2(OH)2
Composition:
Molecular Weight = 157.64 gm
Copper 40.31 % Cu 50.46 % CuO
Silicon 17.82 % Si 38.11 % SiO2
Hydrogen 1.28 % H 11.43 % H2 O
Oxygen 40.60 % O
______ ______
100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Empirical Formula:
CuSiO2 (OH)2
Environment:
Secondary mineral in oxidized zones of copper deposits.
IMA Status:
Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1797
Locality:
Tsumeb and Cochab, Namibia. Altyn Tube, Russia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
From the Greek, dia - "through" and optomai - "vision."
Name Pronunciation:
Dioptase
Synonym:
ICSD 100077
PDF 33-487
Dioptase Image
Images:
Dioptase
Comments: Dark-blue-green crystals of dioptase on matrix. The color of dioptase does not photograph well and must be seen in person to appreciate.
Location: Altyn-tyube, Kasakhstan.
Scale: Crystal size 5 mm.
© Dave Barthelmy
Images:
Dioptase
Comments: Emerald green lustrous crystals of dioptase to 14 mm in size and doubly terminated, set upon a limestone and massive calcite matrix.
Location: Altyn-Tyube, South Kazakhstan Oblast', Kazakhstan.
Scale: 3.5 x 4.5 x 2 cm.
© Dan Weinrich
Images:
Minrecordite Dioptase
Comments: Blue-green dioptase covered with minute, rhombic crystals of transparent minrecordite one mm or less in size.
Location: Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia.
Scale: Picture size 1 cm.
© John Veevaert
Images:
Dioptase Kinoite
Comments: Fibrous crystals of blue-green dioptase to 0.75mm on clear apophyllite associated with dark blue kinoite.
Location: Christmas mine, Gila Co., Arizona, USA.
Scale: Pictures size 6 mm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix
Dioptase Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:c = 1:0.53397
Cell Dimensions:
a = 14.57, c = 7.78, Z = 18; V = 1,430.31 Den(Calc)= 3.29
Crystal System:
Trigonal - Rhombohedral H-M Symbol ( 3 ) Space Group: R 3
X Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity(I/Io ): 2.6(1), 2.443(0.6), 7.29(0.5),
Forms:
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Physical Properties of Dioptase
Cleavage:
{1011} Good
Color:
Dark blue green, Emerald green, Turquoise.
Density:
3.28 - 3.35, Average = 3.31
Diaphaneity:
Transparent to translucent
Fracture:
Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).
Habit:
Cryptocrystalline - Occurs as crystals too small to distinguish with the naked eye.
Habit:
Crystalline - Coarse - Occurs as well-formed coarse sized crystals.
Habit:
Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.
Hardness:
5 - Apatite
Luminescence:
Non-fluorescent.
Luster:
Vitreous (Glassy)
Magnetism:
Nonmagnetic
Streak:
green
Optical Properties of Dioptase
Gladstone-Dale:
CI meas = -0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas /KC ) CI calc = -0.009 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc /KC )
KPDcalc = 0.2058,KPDmeas = 0.2042,KC = 0.2039 Ncalc = 1.67 - 1.68
Optical Data:
Uniaxial (+), w=1.644-1.658, e=1.697-1.709, bire=0.0510-0.0530.
Calculated Properties of Dioptase
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.24 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Dioptase =3.32 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.0085166942 Boson Index = 0.9914833058
Photoelectric:
PEDioptase = 18.11 barns/electronU=PEDioptase x r Electron Density= 58.65 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units) Dioptase is Not Radioactive
Dioptase Classification
Dana Class:
61.01.03.01 (61) Cyclosilicate Six-Membered Rings
(61.01) with [Si6O18] rings; possible (OH) and Al substitution
(61.01.03) Dana Group
61.01.03.01 Dioptase CuSiO2(OH)2 R 3 3
Strunz Class:
09.CJ.30 09 - SILICATES (Germanates)
09.C - Cyclosilicates
09.CJ -[Si6O18]12- 6-membered single rings (sechser-Einfachringe),
09.CJ.30 Dioptase CuSiO2(OH)2 R 3 3
Other Dioptase Information
References:
NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)
See Also:
Links to other databases for Dioptase :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - HyperPhysics
12 - MinDAT
13 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
14 - Online Mineral Museum
15 - Philatelic Mineralogy
16 - QUT Mineral Atlas
17 - Ruff.Info
18 - Tradeshop.com - The Rainbow of Gems
19 - WWW-MINCRYST
20 - YupRocks
21 - theimage
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Dioptase
CuSiO2(OH)2
Dana No: 61.01.03.01 Strunz No: 09.CJ.30
Locality:
Notes:
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