Turquoise Mineral Data
General Turquoise Information
Chemical Formula:
CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O)
Composition:
Molecular Weight = 813.44 gm
Aluminum 19.90 % Al 37.60 % Al2 O3
Copper 7.81 % Cu 9.78 % CuO
Phosphorus 15.23 % P 34.90 % P2 O5
Hydrogen 1.98 % H 17.72 % H2 O
Oxygen 55.07 % O
______ ______
100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Empirical Formula:
CuAl6 (PO4 )4 (OH)8 •4(H2 O)
Environment:
Secondary mineral found in copper deposits.
IMA Status:
Valid Species (Pre-IMA) Prehistoric
Locality:
Nishapur Deposit, Iran Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Name Origin:
Named after Turkey (from where it was brought to Europe).
Name Pronunciation:
Turquoise + Pronunciation
Synonym:
Callaite
ICSD 21062
PDF 6-214
Turquoise Image
Images:
Turquoise Crystallography
Axial Ratios:
a:b:c =0.7517:1:0.7718
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
Crystal System:
Triclinic - Pinacoidal H-M Symbol ( 1 ) Space Group: P1
X Ray Diffraction:
By Intensity(I/Io ): 3.68(1), 2.91(0.8), 6.17(0.7),
Physical Properties of Turquoise
Cleavage:
{001} Perfect, {010} Good
Color:
Blue, Blue green, Green, Green gray, Light blue.
Density:
2.6 - 2.8, Average = 2.7
Diaphaneity:
Subtranslucent to opaque
Fracture:
Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).
Habit:
Concretionary - Rounded massive fine-grained materials.
Habit:
Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.
Habit:
Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.
Hardness:
5-6 - Between Apatite and Orthoclase
Luminescence:
Non-fluorescent.
Luster:
Waxy
Streak:
pale bluish white
Optical Properties of Turquoise
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
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
Electron Density:
Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.89 gm/cc note: Specific Gravity of Turquoise =2.89 gm/cc.
Fermion Index:
Fermion Index = 0.0002673225 Boson Index = 0.9997326775
Photoelectric:
PETurquoise = 4.64 barns/electronU=PETurquoise x r Electron Density= 13.43 barns/cc.
Radioactivity:
GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units) Turquoise is Not Radioactive
Turquoise Classification
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
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
References:
NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)
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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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Turquoise Specimen Label here :
Turquoise
CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8•4(H2O)
Dana No: 42.09.03.01 Strunz No: 08.DD.15
Locality:
Notes:
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