Chrysocolla

chrysocolla

Chrysocolla is a blue green silicate mineral with the chemical structure hydrated copper silicate and formula:

( Cu,Al) ₂ H ₂ Si ₂ O ₅ (OH) ₄ . nH ₂ O. It is a minor ore of copper and is found associated with other copper minerals.

Chrysocolla has a hardness of 2.5 to 7.0 on the mohs scale. It forms in the oxidation zones of copper ore bodies. Associated minerals are quartz, limonite, azurite, malachite, cuprite, and other secondary copper minerals. It is typically found as botryoidal or rounded masses and crusts, or vein fillings. It is sometimes mistaken for turquoise.

Some of the main sources of chrysocolla are found in the Bacan Islands, Indonesia, Israel, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chile, Cornwall in England, and in the United States, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

chrysocolla

Uses of Chrysocolla

Chrysocolla Is popular for carvings and jewelry. It is often multicolored with vivid hues of blue and green. The harder forms can be cut, shaped, and polished to produce gem quality pieces. It is also popular among mineral collectors.

Mineral Properties of Chrysocolla

Chemical formula: ( Cu,Al) ₂ H ₂ Si ₂ O ₅ (OH) ₄ . nH ₂ O.

Color(s): Many shades of Blue and green

Streak: white

Luster: vitreous

Transparency: translucent to opaque

Crystal system: monoclinic

Specific Gravity: 2.0-2.4

Hardness (Mohs): 2.5-7

Cleavage: none

Fracture: conchoidal to uneven

Uses: jewelry

Location: Bacan Islands, Indonesia, Israel, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chile, Cornwall in England, and in the United States, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

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