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| Chemistry:
(Cu,Zn)3(PO4)(OH)3
· 2H2O
[Hydrated Copper Zinc Phosphate
Hydroxide] | Discovered
in 1874;
IMA
status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered). Veszelyite
is named in honor of A. Veszelyi (1820–1888), Hungarian
mining engineer, who discovered the species. |
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Classification
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Mineral
Classification: |
Phosphates |
Strunz 8th
Ed. ID:
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7/D.19-30
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Nickel-Strunz 10th
Ed. ID:
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8.DA.30 |
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8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES D : Phosphates, etc. with
additional anions, with H2O A : With small (and occasionally
larger) cations
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Related
to: |
Kipushite - Veszelyite Series
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Crystal
Data
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Crystallography:
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Monoclinic
- Prismatic
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Crystal
Habit:
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Prismatic
crystals, flattened, elongated, to 5 cm, also typically
pseudo-octahedral; may be in granular aggregates.
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Twinning:
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None
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Physical
Properties
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Cleavage: |
[001]
Distinct/Good, [110] Distinct/Good
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Fracture: |
n/a
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Tenacity:
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Brittle
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Hardness
(Mohs): |
3.5
- 4.0
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Density:
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3.40 (g/cm3)
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Luminescence:
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None |
Radioactivity:
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Not
Radioactive
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Other: |
Soluble
in acids.
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Optical
Properties
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Color: |
Blue,
dark Blue, Greenish Blue, Green
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Transparency: |
Translucent |
Luster: |
Vitreous |
Refractive
Index: |
1.618
- 1.695
Biaxial ( + )
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Birefringence: |
0.0400
- 0.0550
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Dispersion: |
Weak
to Strong; r < v |
Pleochroism: |
Weak;
Z = Blue,
X = Greenish blue |
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Occurances
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Geological
Setting: |
A
rare secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of some
base-metal mineral deposits. |
Common
Associations: |
Hemimorphite,
Iron oxides. Kipushite, Libethenite, Malachite, Pseudomalachite,
Pyromorphite, Quartz, Vauquelinite, (Kipushi mine, Congo);
Aurichalcite, Brochantite, Hemimorphite, Malachite (Wanlockhead,
Scotland). |
Type
Locality: |
Ocna de Fier (Moravita; Moravicza; Moravica; Vaskö;
Eisenstein), Banat, Caras-Severin Co., Romania |
Year
Discovered: |
1874
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View
mineral photos: |
Veszelyite
Mineral Photos and Locations |
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More
Information
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Mindat.org Webmineral.com |
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Veszelyite is a very
rare and beautiful copper and zinc phosphate mineral.
It is an extremely rare gem and gems are very small since crystals are very
small, usually less than 10 mm. Mineral specimens are
very attractive and very highly sought after by collectors.
There
are only a handfull of localities for finding Veszelyite
crystals. One of the best known is the Black Pine mine,
near Philipsburg, Granite County, Montana, USA.
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Veszelyite
gems for sale:
We
have not photographed our Veszelyite gems. Please
check back soon.
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