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Chrysocolla

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
This page kindly sponsored by Zhen Yang
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About ChrysocollaHide

Formula:
Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1
Colour:
Green, bluish green, blue, blackish blue to black, or brown and rarely yellow
Lustre:
Vitreous, Waxy, Earthy
Hardness:
2½ - 3½
Specific Gravity:
1.93 - 2.4
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
The name was first used by Theophrastus in 315 B.C. and comes from the Greek "chrysos", meaning "gold," and "kolla", meaning "glue," in allusion to the name of the material used to solder gold. André-Jean-François-Marie Brochant de Villiers revived the name in 1808.
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 vein fillings. Any acicular or fibrous chrysocolla "crystals" are all pseudomorphs.

Copper-bearing allophane may look similar.




Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
1040
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1040:1

Similar NamesHide

IMA Classification of ChrysocollaHide

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
(Cu2+2-xAlx)H2-xSi2O5(OH)4·nH2O

Classification of ChrysocollaHide

9.ED.20

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
D : Phyllosilicates with kaolinite layers composed of tetrahedral and octahedral nets
Dana 7th ed.:
74.3.2.1
74.3.2.1

74 : PHYLLOSILICATES Modulated Layers
3 : Modulated Layers with joined strips
14.2.5

14 : Silicates not Containing Aluminum
2 : Silicates of Cu

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
CclIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43
CclKretz (1983)Kretz, R. (1983) Symbols of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 68, 277–279.
CclSiivolam & Schmid (2007)Siivolam, J. and Schmid, R. (2007) Recommendations by the IUGS Subcommission on the Systematics of Metamorphic Rocks: List of mineral abbreviations. Web-version 01.02.07. IUGS Commission on the Systematics in Petrology. download
CclWhitney & Evans (2010)Whitney, D.L. and Evans, B.W. (2010) Abbreviations for names of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 95, 185–187 doi:10.2138/am.2010.3371
CclThe Canadian Mineralogist (2019)The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download

Physical Properties of ChrysocollaHide

Vitreous, Waxy, Earthy
Transparency:
Translucent, Opaque
Colour:
Green, bluish green, blue, blackish blue to black, or brown and rarely yellow
Streak:
Light green (unknown for black or yellow varieties)
Hardness:
2½ - 3½ on Mohs scale
Hardness Data:
Measured
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
None
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density:
1.93 - 2.4 g/cm3 (Measured)    

Optical Data of ChrysocollaHide

Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.575 - 1.585 nβ = 1.597 nγ = 1.598 - 1.635
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.023 - 0.050
Based on recorded range of RI values above.

Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.

Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.

Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.

Surface Relief:
Moderate (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).

This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized biaxial acute bisectrix (Bxa) interference figure - the conoscopic view for a grain cut perpendicular to the acute bisectrix, using this mineral's 2V. The two small white dots mark the melatopes - the points where the two optic axes emerge - and are shown only when they fall within the field of view. The coloured bands are isochromatics, and the dark bands are isogyres.

Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.

No measured or calculated 2V is on file for this mineral, so the value used here (93°) is estimated from its recorded refractive indices and optic sign, not from a direct 2V measurement.

Chemistry of ChrysocollaHide

Mindat Formula:
Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1

Crystallography of ChrysocollaHide

Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.7 Å, b = 8.9 Å, c = 6.7 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.64 : 1 : 0.753
Unit Cell V:
339.89 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Most often found as cryptocrystalline to amorphous botryoidal aggregates and crusts. Crystals reported as fine acicular to fibrous, very rare.
Twinning:
None reported.
Comment:
Point Group: n.d.; Space Group: n.d.

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Loading XRD data...
Data Set:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
17.9 Å(80)
7.9 Å(60)
4.45 Å(20)
4.07 Å(60)
2.90 Å(80)
2.56 Å(70)
1.602 Å(40)
1.486 Å(100)
Comments:
Broad, low-intensity peaks. Weaker lines often diffuse. The pattern is fairly characteristic.

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event<2.4
45b : [Other oxidized fumarolic minerals]
47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals]
Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere<0.6
53 : Other minerals with taphonomic origins<0.4
Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals<10 Ka
56 : Slag and smelter minerals (see also #51 and #55)
Geological Setting:
Found in the oxidation zone of copper deposits, often encrusting or replacing earlier secondary minerals.

Synonyms of ChrysocollaHide

Other Language Names for ChrysocollaHide

Varieties of ChrysocollaHide

Aluminian ChrysocollaAn Al-bearing variety of chrysocolla.

See also pilarite, a mixture of chrysocolla and halloysite.
Aluminian Ferrian ChrysocollaAn Al- and Fe-bearing variety of chrysocolla.
Cornuite (of Rogers)Described as "Amorphous equivalent of chrysocolla."
CyanochalcitePhosphorus-rich variety, supposedly with an insignificant impurity about 6.95 wt% P2O5 noted in Dana's 6th Edition from earlier analyses.

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
2,061 photos of Chrysocolla associated with MalachiteCu2(CO3)(OH)2
1,390 photos of Chrysocolla associated with QuartzSiO2
509 photos of Chrysocolla associated with CupriteCu2O
478 photos of Chrysocolla associated with AzuriteCu3(CO3)2(OH)2
324 photos of Chrysocolla associated with CalciteCaCO3
259 photos of Chrysocolla associated with DioptaseCuSiO3 · H2O
212 photos of Chrysocolla associated with WulfenitePb(MoO4)
197 photos of Chrysocolla associated with AtacamiteCu2(OH)3Cl
190 photos of Chrysocolla associated with TenoriteCuO
187 photos of Chrysocolla associated with Native CopperCu

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

9.ED.'Clinochrysotile'Mg3(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon. 2/m
9.ED.05DickiteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bb
9.ED.05NacriteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bb
9.ED.05KaoliniteAl2(Si2O5)(OH)4Tric. 1 : P1
9.ED.05Odinite(Fe,Mg,Al,Fe,Ti,Mn)2.4((Si,Al)2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bm
9.ED.10HalloysiteAl2Si2O5(OH)4 · n(H2O)Mon. m : Bb
9.ED.10HisingeriteFe3+2(Si2O5)(OH)4 · 2H2OMon.
9.ED.10'Hydrohalloysite'Al2Si2O5(OH)4 · 2H2OMon. m
9.ED.15AntigoriteMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon. m : Bm
9.ED.15Brindleyite(Ni,Al)3(Si,Al)2O5(OH)4Mon.
9.ED.15Fraipontite(Zn,Al)3((Si,Al)2O5)(OH)4Mon.
9.ED.15NépouiteNi3Si2O5(OH)4Orth.
9.ED.15PecoraiteNi3(Si2O5)(OH)4Mon.
9.ED.15GuidottiiteMn2Fe3+(Fe3+SiO5)(OH)4Hex. 6 : P63
9.ED.15LizarditeMg3(Si2O5)(OH)4Trig. 3m : P31m
9.ED.15Berthierine(Fe2+,Fe3+,Al)3(Si,Al)2O5(OH)4Mon. m : Bm
9.ED.15KellyiteMn2+2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4Hex. 6 : P63
9.ED.15CronstedtiteFe2+2Fe3+((Si,Fe3+)2O5)(OH)4Trig. 3m : P31m
9.ED.15CaryopiliteMn2+3Si2O5(OH)4Mon.
9.ED.15AmesiteMg2Al(AlSiO5)(OH)4Tric. 1 : P1
9.ED.15Greenalite(Fe2+,Fe3+)2-3Si2O5(OH)4Mon.
9.ED.15ManandoniteLi2Al4(Si2AlB)O10(OH)8Orth. 222 : C2221
9.ED.20Neotocite(Mn,Fe)SiO3 · H2O (?)Amor.
9.ED.20Allophane(Al2O3)(SiO2)1.3-2 · 2.5-3H2OAmor.
9.ED.20ImogoliteAl2SiO3(OH)4
9.ED.25BismutoferriteFe3+2Bi(SiO4)2(OH)Mon. m : Bm
9.ED.25ChapmaniteFe3+2Sb3+(Si2O5)O3(OH)Mon. m : Bm
9.ED.30'Pianlinite'Al2Si2O6(OH)2Orth.

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
A very minor ore of copper.

Internet Links for ChrysocollaHide

References for ChrysocollaHide

Reference List:

Localities for ChrysocollaHide

Showing 4,344 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
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