Chrysocolla
Current inventory: 0 gems
 

  
The name Chrysocolla was first used by Theophrastus in 315 BC and comes from the Greek chrysos, meaning gold, and kolla, meaning glue, in allusion to the name of the material used to solder gold.

Discovered about 315 BC; IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

(Cu;Al)₂H₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄ • nH₂O 

Hydrated Copper Aluminum Silicate Hydroxide

Molecular Weight:

328.42 gm

Composition:

Aluminum

2.05 %

Al

3.88 %

Al₂O₃

Copper

33.86 %

Cu

42.39 %

CuO

Silicon

17.10 %

Si

36.59 %

SiO₂

Hydrogen

1.92 %

H

17.14 %

H₂O

Oxygen

45.06 %

O

100.00 %

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Silicates (Germanates)

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

8/E.21-20

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

9.ED.20

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
D : Phyllosilicates with kaolinite layers composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets

Related to:

n/a

Varieties:

Aluminian Chrysocolla, Aluminian Ferrian Chrysocolla, Cyanochalcite

Synonyms:

Abdollah-Giw Turquoise, Beaumontite (of Jackson), Chalcostaktite, Chalkostaktite, Chrysocole, Chrysocollite, Chrysokolla, Copper Pitchblende, Cornuite (of Rogers), Crysocolla, Demidovite, Dillenbergite, Liparite (of Casoria), Llanca, Somervillite (of Dufrénoy),

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Orthorhombic

Crystal Habit:

Crystals acicular, to 5 mm, in radiating clusters; fine fibrous, botryoidal, earthy; commonly cryptocrystalline, opaline, or enamel-like.

Twinning:

None reported.

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

None

Fracture:

Conchoidal, Irregular/Uneven

Tenacity:

Brittle to somewhat sectile

Moh's Hardness:

2.5 - 3.5

Density:

1.93 - 2.40 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Green, bluish green, blue, blackish blue, or brown

Transparency:

Translucent to Opaque

Luster:

Vitreous, Porcelaneous, Waxy, Earthy, Dull

Refractive Index:

1.460 - 1.57  Uniaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

0.110

Dispersion:

Weak

Pleochroism:

Weak; e = colorless, w = pale blue green

Occurances

Geological Setting:

Found in the oxidation zone of copper deposits, often encrusting or replacing earler secondary minerals.

Common Associations:

Azurite, Cuprite, Halloysite, Limonite, Malachite, Nontronite, Quartz, Tenorite

Common Impurities:

None

Type Locality:

Nizhni Tagil, Ural Mountains, Russia (in modern times)

Year Discovered:

about 315 BC

View mineral photos:

Chrysocolla Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Chrysocolla is a mineral of secondary origin, commonly associated with other secondary copper minerals. It is typically found as glassy botryoidal or rounded masses or bubbly crusts and as jackstraw mats of tiny acicular crystals or tufts of fibrous crystals. The name Chrysocolla was first used by Theophrastus in 315 BC and comes from the Greek chrysos, meaning gold, and kolla, meaning glue, in allusion to the name of the material used to solder gold.

Chrysocolla is often found as a gel mixed with Quartz or is "agatized" in chalcedony quartz. Pure Chrysocolla is very soft and fragile and not suitable for faceted gems or cabochons. Agatized Chrysocolla however, is hard (Mohs hardness of about 7) and durable and able to be polished as cabochons often containing very attractive mixtures of Chrysocolla, Azurite and Malachite. Agatized Chrysocolla is rarely translucent enough for faceting but makes for beautiful gems with a unique color in the gem world.

Chrysocolla is found in several locations worldwide. Some of the better known locations are Nizhni Tagil, Ural Mountains, Russia; the Timna (King Solomon's) mine, Israel; the Star of the Congo mine, Lubumbashi, and at Likasi and Kakanda, Katanga Province, Congo (Shaba Province, Zaire); Cananea, Sonora, Mexico; Chuquicamata and Exotica deposits; around Copiapo and Coquimbo, Chile; Chillagoe district, Queensland, Australia. In the USA, in Arizona, Globe-Miami district, Gila County, Morenci, Greenlee County, San Manuel and Ray mines, Pinal County; in New Mexico, at Santa Rita, Grant County; from Utah, in the Tintic district, Juab County.
 

  
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