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Minerals - Atacamite | TerraCollect

Mineral - Atacamite

AtacamiteCu₂Cl(OH)₃

Chemical Properties

Mineral Class

Halides

Toxicity

low

Formula

Cu₂Cl(OH)₃

Unit Cell

a=6.03 b=9.12 c=6.87 Z=4

Physical Properties

Hardness

3 - 3.5

Streak

green

Density

Heavy (3,5-6)

Optical Properties

Color

greengreen black

Birefringence

0.049

Luster

Vitreous,

Adamantine

Transparency

translucent,

transparent

Pleochroism

X: Hellgrün Y: Gelb-Grün Z: Dunkelgrün

Geomineralogical Properties

Crystal System

orthorhombic

Composition

Elements

Mass

CuO

14.53

CoO

55.33

CaO

0.21

Cl

0.23

H₂O

16.22

13.15

Chile (Larsen & Tripp 1972)

Groups and Members

Atacamite-Group

Karten-Ebenen

Geologische KarteSatelliten Karte

Name and first record : Named after the type locality in the Atacama Desert in Chile. First described in 1803.

Chemistry :

Synonyms : Alacamite, Arsenillo, Atakamite, Halochalcite, Marcylite, Remolinite

Varieties :

Abbreviation : Ata

literature

Larsen, AL, Tripp, RB (1972) New X-ray data on natural atacamite. US Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 800B : 119-120.

Cleavage

Perfect after {010}, indistinct after {101}

Fracture

conchoidal

Tenacity

Brittle

Point Group

orthorhombic-dipyramidal - 2/m 2/m 2/m

Space Group

Pnma (62)

Habit

leafy, fibrous, spherical, acicular, prismatic, radial, tabular

Formation

In the oxidation zone of supergene copper deposits Through resublimation from volcanic gases (fumaroles)

Paragenesis

Twinning

Rare Penetration twins in the direction of [544]

Rarity

Rather rare

Synonyms

Atacamite