Welcome to the wonderful world of minerals
  • No products in the cart.

Shop

Conichalcite Mineral Specimen

$35.00

 

Size: 1.75″ X 2.25″

Locality : Utah county, Utah, USA

SKU: CON3. Tags: .

1 in stock

Share this

Conichalcite Mineral Specimen

CONICHALCITE

HISTORY, NAME, LOCALITIES: Conichalcite, pronounced cone-eh-KAL-cite, was identified as a mineral species in 1849.  Its name stems from the Greek words konis, meaning “powder,” and chalx, or “lime,” alluding to its frequent occurrence in powdery crusts and its lime-like chemical properties.  Collecting localities are found in Namibia, Mexico, Spain, Australia, England, Poland, Chile, and the United States (Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey.)

 

MINERALOGY, PROPERTIES, OCCURRENCE: Conichalcite [basic calcium copper arsenate, CaCu(AsO4)(OH)] crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, usually as compact crusts, reniform masses, and thin, botryoidal coatings; well-developed crystals are rare.  It has a Mohs hardness of 4.5, no cleavage, a vitreous-to-greasy luster, an uneven fracture, and a specific gravity of 4.3.  It is transparent to translucent, with colors ranging from grass-green to yellowish-green and bluish-green.  Conichalcite is an uncommon, secondary mineral that forms in the oxidation zones of copper-rich, hydrothermal-replacement deposits, often in association with such oxidized copper minerals as azurite and malachite.

 

METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES, LORE, USES:  Conichalcite has occasionally served as a minor ore of copper.  Because of its softness, brittleness, and tendency to form only very small crystals, conichalcite has no use in jewelry.  According to metaphysical beliefs, conichalcite enhances communication and personal powers, links the heart and intellect, and prepares one for meditation by deflecting concerns with the physical world.

 

COLLECTORS’ INFORMATION: Conichalcite is collected for its rarity, unusual forms, greenish colors, and frequent association with other colorful, oxidized copper minerals.

SKU: CON3 Tag: .

Reviews

Write a review

There are no reviews yet.