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Plancheite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Plancheite

  
Plancheite was named after French explorer, J. Planche, who supplied samples to Alfred Lacroix from Mindouli who first described the mineral in 1908.

Discovered in 1908; IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

 

Chemistry

 

 

Chemical Formula:

Cu8Si8O22(OH)4 • 2H2O

 

Hydrated Copper Silicate Hydroxide

Molecular Weight:

1,171.08 gm

Composition:

Copper

43.41 %

Cu

54.34 %

CuO

 

Silicon

19.19 %

Si

41.05 %

SiO2

 

Hydrogen

0.52 %

H

4.62 %

H2O

 

Oxygen

36.89 %

O

 

 

 

 

100.00 %

 

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

 

 

Classification

   

   

Mineral Classification:

Silicates (Germanates)

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

8/F.05-10

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

9.DB.35

 

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
B : Inosilicates with 2-periodic single chains, Si
2O6; Pyroxene-related minerals

Related to:

n/a

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

Bisbeeite, ICSD 100073, Katangaite, Katangite, PDF 29-576

 

 

Crystal Data

   

   

Crystallography:

Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal

Crystal Habit:

Crystals fibrous by extension on [001], striated; commonly as compact radial aggregates. 

Twinning:

None

 

 

Physical Properties

   

 

Cleavage:

None

Fracture:

Unknown; crystals are too small to observe fractures

Tenacity:

Brittle, fibrous

Moh's Hardness:

6.0

Density:

3.65 - 3.80 (g/cm3)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

 

 

Optical Properties

   

   

Color:

Pale blue to deep blue, pale greenish blue

Transparency:

Translucent

Luster:

Silky

Refractive Index:

1.645 - 1.715  Biaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

0.070

Dispersion:

Relatively strong

Pleochroism:

Visible, marked; X= pale blue, Y=Z= blue

 

 

Occurances

   

   

Geological Setting:

A rare secondary mineral in the oxidized portion of copper deposits.

Common Associations:

Chrysocolla, Dioptase, Malachite, Conichalcite, Tenorite

Common Impurities:

n/a

Type Locality:

Sanda Mine, Mindouli, Mindouli District, Pool Department, Republic of Congo (Brazzaville)

Year Discovered:

1908

View mineral photos:

Plancheite Mineral Photos and Locations

 

 

More Information

   

   

 

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

 

 


Plancheite was named after French explorer, J. Planche, who supplied samples to Alfred Lacroix from Mindouli who first described the mineral in 1908. The samples were found by Planche at the Sanda Mine, Mindouli, Pool Departmant, Republic of Congo. Plancheite is a rare secondary mineral formed in the oxidation zone of copper deposits. It is a hydrated copper silicate mineral and is closely related to Shattuckite in structure and appearance. The two minerals are often confused. Like so many other secondary copper minerals, Plancheite is colorful, attractive and has interesting crystal habits that are typically fibrous, compact radial aggregates. It is often found associated with other colorful secondary copper minerals such as Chrysocolla, Conichalcite, Dioptase, Malachite, Shattuckite and Brochantite.

Distribution: From Mindouli, Renéville, and Tshiniama, Congo Republic. In Congo (Zaire), fine material from Tantara, Mindigi, and M'sesa, near Kambove, Katanga (Shaba) Province. From Tsumeb, Guchab, and Okatumba, about 80 km east of Windhoek, Namibia. In England, at the Driggith mine, Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria; the Gunheath china clay pit, St. Austell, Cornwall; and the Engine vein, Alderley Edge, Cheshire. In the USA, in Arizona, from the Table Mountain mine, Galiuro Mountains, and the Azurite mine, Tortolita Mountains, Pinal County; in the Bighorn district, south of Aguila, Maricopa County; in the Harquehala Mountains, Yuma County; and elsewhere. In Michigan, from the Algomah mine, Ontonagon County. In the Kurokawa mine, Gifu Prefecture, and the Kisanmori mine, Akita Prefecture, Japan. From La Rioja, Argentina.
 

  
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