Mineralogy Database

Dioptase Mineral Data

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General Dioptase Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: CuSiO2(OH)2
Help on Composition: 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 % H2O
   Oxygen    40.60 %  O
            ______        ______ 
            100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: CuSiO2(OH)2
Help on Environment: Environment: Secondary mineral in oxidized zones of copper deposits.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1797
Help on Locality: Locality: Tsumeb and Cochab, Namibia. Altyn Tube, Russia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: From the Greek, dia - "through" and optomai - "vision."
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Dioptase Say DIOPTASE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: ICSD 100077
  PDF 33-487
 

Dioptase Image

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  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

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  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

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  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

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  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

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:c = 1:0.53397
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 14.57, c = 7.78, Z = 18; V = 1,430.31 Den(Calc)= 3.29
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Trigonal - Rhombohedral H-M Symbol ( 3) Space Group: R 3
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 2.6(1), 2.443(0.6), 7.29(0.5),
Help on Forms: Forms:

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Forms: ( 1 1 1) ( 2 1 1) ( 1 0 0)

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Physical Properties of Dioptase

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {1011} Good
Help on Color: Color: Dark blue green, Emerald green, Turquoise.
Help on Density: Density: 3.28 - 3.35, Average = 3.31
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent to translucent
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).
Help on Habit: Habit: Cryptocrystalline - Occurs as crystals too small to distinguish with the naked eye.
Help on Habit: Habit: Crystalline - Coarse - Occurs as well-formed coarse sized crystals.
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 5 - Apatite
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Help on Magnetism: Magnetism: Nonmagnetic
Help on Streak: Streak: green
 

Optical Properties of Dioptase

Help on Gladstone-Dale: 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
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Uniaxial (+), w=1.644-1.658, e=1.697-1.709, bire=0.0510-0.0530.
 

Calculated Properties of Dioptase

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.24 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Dioptase =3.32 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0085166942
Boson Index = 0.9914833058
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEDioptase = 18.11 barns/electron
U=PEDioptase x rElectron Density= 58.65 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Dioptase is Not Radioactive
 

Dioptase Classification

Help on  Dana Class: 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
Help on  Strunz Class: 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

Help on References: References: NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)
Help on See Also: 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
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