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Turquoise Mineral Data

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General Turquoise Information

Help on Chemical Formula: Chemical Formula: CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O)
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 813.44 gm
   Aluminum    19.90 %  Al   37.60 % Al2O3
   Copper       7.81 %  Cu    9.78 % CuO
   Phosphorus  15.23 %  P    34.90 % P2O5
   Hydrogen     1.98 %  H    17.72 % H2O
   Oxygen      55.07 %  O
              ______        ______ 
              100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O)
Help on Environment: Environment: Secondary mineral found in copper deposits.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Valid Species (Pre-IMA) Prehistoric
Help on Locality: Locality: Nishapur Deposit, Iran Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named after Turkey (from where it was brought to Europe).
Help on Name Pronunciation: Name Pronunciation: Turquoise + Pronunciation Say TURQUOISE
Help on Synonym: Synonym: Callaite
  ICSD 21062
  PDF 6-214
 

Turquoise Image

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  Turquoise

Comments: Blue, triclinic crystals (rare) of turquoise on matrix.
Location: Lynch Station, Campbell County, Virginia, USA. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Turquoise Crystallography
Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =0.7517:1:0.7718
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 7.48, b = 9.95, c = 7.68, Z = 1; alpha = 111.65°, beta = 115.383°, gamma = 69.433° V = 449.39 Den(Calc)= 3.01
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Triclinic - Pinacoidal H-M Symbol ( 1) Space Group: P1
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 3.68(1), 2.91(0.8), 6.17(0.7),
 

Physical Properties of Turquoise

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {001} Perfect, {010} Good
Help on Color: Color: Blue, Blue green, Green, Green gray, Light blue.
Help on Density: Density: 2.6 - 2.8, Average = 2.7
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Subtranslucent to opaque
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).
Help on Habit: Habit: Concretionary - Rounded massive fine-grained materials.
Help on Habit: Habit: Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.
Help on Habit: Habit: Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 5-6 - Between Apatite and Orthoclase
Help on Luminescence: Luminescence: Non-fluorescent.
Help on Luster: Luster: Waxy
Help on Streak: Streak: pale bluish white
 

Optical Properties of Turquoise

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI meas= -0.059 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.011 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2163,KPDmeas= 0.2315,KC= 0.2186
Ncalc = 1.57 - 1.63
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (+), a=1.61, b=1.615, g=1.65, bire=0.0400, 2V(Calc)=44, 2V(Meas)=40. Dispersion relatively strong.
 

Calculated Properties of Turquoise

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.89 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Turquoise =2.89 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0002673225
Boson Index = 0.9997326775
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PETurquoise = 4.64 barns/electron
U=PETurquoise x rElectron Density= 13.43 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Turquoise is Not Radioactive
 

Turquoise Classification
Help on Dana Class: Dana Class: 42.09.03.01 (42)Hydrated Phosphates, etc., Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
  (42.09)where (A)3 (XO4)2 Zq � x(H2O)
  (42.09.03)Turquoise Group
 
42.09.03.01 Turquoise CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O) P1 1
 
42.09.03.02 Coeruleolactite (Ca,Cu)Al6(PO4)4(OH)8•4-5(H2O) P1 1
 
42.09.03.03 Faustite (Zn,Cu)Al6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O) P1 1
 
42.09.03.04 Chalcosiderite CuFe6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O) P1 1
 
42.09.03.05 Aheylite (Fe,Zn)Al6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O) P1 1
 
42.09.03.06 Planerite Al6(PO4)2(PO3OH)2(OH)8•4(H2O) P1 1
Help on Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 08.DD.15 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
  08.D - Phosphates, etc
  08.DD -With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 2:1
 
08.DD.15 Aheylite (Fe,Zn)Al6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O) P1 1
 
08.DD.15 Chalcosiderite CuFe6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O) P1 1
 
08.DD.15 Faustite (Zn,Cu)Al6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O) P1 1
 
08.DD.15 Planerite Al6(PO4)2(PO3OH)2(OH)8•4(H2O) P1 1
 
08.DD.15 Turquoise CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O) P1 1
 

Other Turquoise 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 Turquoise :
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 - Glendale Community College
8 - Google Images
9 - Google Scholar
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
11 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
12 - HyperPhysics
13 - MinDAT
14 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
15 - NSDL Reciprocal Net (JAVA)
16 - Online Mineral Museum
17 - QUT Mineral Atlas
18 - Ruff.Info
19 - Scandinavian mineral gallery
20 - Tradeshop.com - The Rainbow of Gems

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Turquoise

CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O)
Dana No: 42.09.03.01 Strunz No: 08.DD.15
Locality:

 

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