Connellite (inclusions in Quartz)
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

  
Connellite was named by by James Dwight Dana in 1850 in honor of Arthur Connell (November 30, 1794 - October 31, 1863), professor of chemistry at St Andrew's University, Edinburgh, Scotland, who first studied the mineral.

Discovered in 1850; IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

Cu₃₆(SO₄)₂Cl₆(OH)₆₂ • 6-12(H₂O)

Hydrated Copper Sulfate Chloride Hydroxide

Molecular Weight:

2,043.53 gm

Composition:

Copper

59.08 %

Cu

73.96 %

CuO

Hydrogen

1.87 %

H

16.75 %

H₂O

Sulfur

1.57 %

S

3.92 %

SO₃

Chlorine

6.94 %

Cl

6.94 %

Cl

—

 —  %

Cl

-O=Cl₂

Oxygen

30.53 %

O

100.00 %

100.00 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Halides

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

3/D.03-40

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

3.DA.25

3 : HALIDES
D : Oxyhalides, hydroxyhalides and related double halides
A : With Cu, etc., without Pb

Related to:

Isostructural with Buttgenbachite. Connellite-Buttgenbachite Series.

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

Carbonatian Connellite, Ceruleofibrite, Footeite, Sulphato-chloride of Copper, Tallingite

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Hexagonal - Ditrigonal Dipyramidal

Crystal Habit:

As acicular prismatic crystals, elongated and striated || [0001], to 2.5 cm; commonly in tight radiating groups; fibrous, felted, or crusty aggregates. 

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

None observed

Fracture:

Splintery

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

3.0

Density:

3.36 - 3.41 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Other:

Soluble in acids and in ammonium hydroxide. Insoluble in water.

Optical Properties

Color:

Blue, blue-green; blue in transmitted light

Transparency:

Transparent

Luster:

Vitreous

Refractive Index:

1.724 - 1.758  Uniaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

0.014 - 0.026

Dispersion:

n/a

Pleochroism:

None

Occurances

Geological Setting:

An uncommon secondary mineral in the oxidized portions of copper deposits.

Common Associations:

Atacamite, Azurite, Botallackite, Cuprite, Langite, Malachite, Spangolite

Common Impurities:

n/a

Type Locality:

Wheal Providence, Providence Mines, Carbis Bay, St Ives, St Ives District, Cornwall, England, UK

Year Discovered:

1850

View mineral photos:

Connellite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Connellite is a somewhat rare secondary copper mineral that is often associated with other copper minerals. It is found as radiating acicular crystals in beautifully colored specimens with various shades of intense blue. Connellite crystals typlically have a unique acicular to fibrous habit but can also rarely be found as radiating inclusions in Quartz. Connellite is related to the nitrate mineral Buttgenbachite. The two minerals are isostructural and share the same chemistry. Connellite was named by by James Dwight Dana in 1850 in honor of Arthur Connell (November 30, 1794 - October 31, 1863), professor of chemistry at St Andrew's University, Edinburgh, Scotland, who first studied the mineral.

Distribution: In England, in the Wheals Gorland, Unity, Edward, the Botallack mine, and others in St. Just, and several other mines in Cornwall. At Southwick Cliffs, near Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. In the Britannia mine, Snowdonia, Wales. At the Cap Garonne mine, near le Pradet, Var, France. In the Sa Duchessa mine, Oridda district, Sardinia, Italy. From Laurium, Greece, in slag. At Fontana Rossa, Corsica, France. From Weibing, Salzburg, Austria. In the Clara mine, Black Forest, Germany. In the USA, in Arizona, from several mines at Bisbee and in the Toughnut mine, Tombstone, Cochise County; in Utah, from the Grand Central mine, Tintic district, Juab County and the Gold Hill mine, Tooele County. At Spring Creek and the Ediacara mine, Flinders Ranges, South Australia, and at Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia. In the Marharahara mine, near Woodville, New Zealand. Increasingly recognized from other minor localities.
 

  
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