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Conichalcite

Big Photo

Clara Mine, Rankach valley, Oberwolfach, Wolfach, Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
© Stephan Wolfsried

Show Conichalcite Photos (169)
Formula:
CaCu[OH|AsO
 
4
]
System:OrthorhombicColour:Green, yellow, ...
Hardness:4½
Name:From the Greek κουία for "konis" (powder) and χαλκος for "chalkos" (copper) in allusion to its composition and appearance at times.


Adelite-Descloizite Group. An end member in the Austinite-Conichalcite Series, the Cobaltaustinite-Conichalcite Series, the Conichalcite-Duftite Series, and the Conichalcite-Tangëite Series.

A secondary mineral found in the oxidized zones of copper deposits.

Classification of Conichalcite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/B.26-50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.BH.35

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
H : With medium-sized and large cations, (OH,etc.):RO4 = 1:1
Dana 8th edition ID:41.5.1.2

41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
5 : (AB)2(XO4)Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:20.1.12

20 : Arsenates (also arsenates with phosphate, but without other anions)
1 : Arsenates of Cu
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Type Occurrence of Conichalcite

Type Locality:Hinojosa del Duque, Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain
Year of Discovery:1849

Occurrences of Conichalcite

Geological Setting:An uncommon alteration product in the oxidation zone of copper deposits. Typically an alteration product of enargite.

Physical Properties of Conichalcite

Lustre:Vitreous, Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Semitransparent, Translucent on thin edges
Colour:Green, yellow, yellow-green; light green to yellowish green in transmitted light.
Streak:Light green
Hardness (Mohs):4½
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:None Observed
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):4.33 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.29 g/cm3
Comment:Density of the fibrous material ranges down to about 4.1.

Crystallography of Conichalcite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):2 2 2 - Disphenoidal
Space Group:P21 21 21
Cell Parameters:a = 7.39(1) Å, b = 9.23(1) Å, c = 5.83(1) Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.801 : 1 : 0.632
Unit Cell Volume:V 397.66 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals equant to short prismatic [010], typically radial fibrous aggregates, botyroidal to reniform crusts, massive.
Twinning:Rare on {001}.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Conichalcite

Type:Biaxial (+/-)
RI values: nα = 1.778 - 1.800 nβ = 1.795 - 1.831 nγ = 1.801 - 1.846
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.023 - 0.046

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Dispersion:Strong r < v to r < v moderate
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:X = Nearly colorless or green
Y = Light greenish or yellowish green
Z = Pale bluish or blue-green
Comments:Data for pleochroism relates to Bristol (left) and Bisbee (right).

Chemical Properties of Conichalcite

Formula:
CaCu[OH|AsO
 
4
]
Essential elements:As, Ca, Cu, H, O
All elements listed in formula:As, Ca, Cu, H, O
Common Impurities:Mg,P,V,Zn

Relationship of Conichalcite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Tangeite (see here)
Forms a series with Austinite (see here)
Forms a series with Cobaltaustinite (see here)
Forms a series with Duftite (see here)
Common Associates:
OliveniteMalachiteLimoniteLibetheniteJarosite
ClinoclaseBrochantiteAzuriteAustinite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
8.BH.05Thadeuite
Ca(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.10Durangite
NaAl[F|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Isokite
CaMg[F|PO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Lacroixite
NaAl[F|PO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Maxwellite
NaFe
3+
 
[F|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Panasqueiraite
CaMg[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Tilasite
CaMg[F|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.15Drugmanite
Pb(Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.20Bjarebyite
(Ba,Sr)(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Cirrolite
near Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
8.BH.20Kulanite
Ba(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Penikisite
Ba(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Ca)
 
2
Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Perloffite
Ba(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Johntomaite
BaFe
2+
2
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.25Bertossaite
(Li,Na)
 
2
(Ca,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)Al
 
4
[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
 
4
8.BH.25Palermoite
(Li,Na)
 
2
(Sr,Ca)Al
 
4
[PO
 
4
]
 
4
(OH)
 
4
8.BH.30Carminite
PbFe
3+
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.30Sewardite
CaFe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
8.BH.35Adelite
CaMg[AsO
 
4
](OH)
8.BH.35Arsendescloizite
PbZn[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Austinite
CaZn[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Cobaltaustinite
CaCo[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Duftite
PbCu[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Gabrielsonite
PbFe[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Nickelaustinite
Ca(Ni,Zn)[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Tangeite
CaCu[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Gottlobite
CaMg[OH|(VO
 
4
,AsO
 
4
)]
8.BH.40Čechite
Pb(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.40Descloizite
Pb(Zn,Cu)[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.40Mottramite
Pb(Cu,Zn)[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.40Pyrobelonite
PbMn
2+
 
[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.45Bayldonite
Cu
 
3
Pb[OH|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.45Vésigniéite
BaCu
 
3
[OH|VO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.50Paganoite
NiBi[O|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.55Jagowerite
BaAl
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.60Attakolite
(Ca,Sr)Mn(Al,Fe)
 
4
[(OH)
 
4
|(SiO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)|(HPO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BH.65Leningradite
PbCu
 
3
[Cl|VO
 
4
]
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
20.1.1Lammerite
Cu
 
3
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
20.1.2Olivenite
Cu
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
20.1.3Clinoclase
Cu
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|AsO
 
4
]
20.1.4Cornwallite
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
2
|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
20.1.5Cornubite
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
2
|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
20.1.6Chlorotile (of Frenzel)
20.1.7Geminite
Cu
 
2
[As
 
2
O
 
7
] · 3H
 
2
O
20.1.8Euchroite
Cu
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
] · 3H
 
2
O
20.1.9Strashimirite
Cu
 
8
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
 
4
 · 5H
 
2
O
20.1.10Arhbarite
Cu
 
2
Mg[(OH)
 
3
|AsO
 
4
]
20.1.11Lindackerite
CuCu
 
4
[HAsO
 
4
|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8-9H
 
2
O
20.1.13Liroconite
Cu
 
2
Al[(OH)
 
4
|AsO
 
4
] · 4H
 
2
O
20.1.14Ceruleite
Cu
 
2
Al
 
7
[(OH)
 
13
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 11.5H
 
2
O
20.1.15Chenevixite
Cu
 
2
Fe
3+
2
[(OH)
 
2
|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
20.1.16Arthurite
CuFe
3+
2
[(OH,O)|(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
,SO
 
4
)]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O

Other Names for Conichalcite

Synonyms:
ConicalciteHigginsiteStaszicite
German names:
ConichalcitKonichalcit
Polish names:
Staszycyt
Russian names:
Конихальцит
Spanish names:
Conichalcita

Other Information

Other Information:Easily soluble in HCl or HNO3.
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Conichalcite

Reference List:Breithaupt and Fritzsche (1849) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 77: 139 (as Konichalcit).

Fritzsche (1849) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 77: 180.

Hillebrand (1883) Proceedings of the Colorado Science Society: 1: 114.

Michel (1909) Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie: 32: 50.

Morozewicz, J. (1918): Staszicite, a new mineral from the copper mine at Miedzianka. Rull. intern. acad. sci. Cracovie, Class A: Sci. Math. (1918), 4-16. [see also Mineralog. Abstr. 2, 51] (as Staszycyt [Staszicite]).

Palache, C. and Shannon (1920) American Mineralogist: 5: 155 (as Higginsite).

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 60.

Gillson (1926) American Mineralogist: 11: 109.

Strunz, H. (1939): Mineralien der Descloizitgruppe. Konichalcit, Staszizit, Austinit, Duftit, Aräoxen, Volborthit, Pyrobelonit. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig (A) 101, 496-506.

Richmond (1940) American Mineralogist: 25: 441.

Fisher (1944) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 105: 268.

Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 1124 pp.: 806-809.

Canadian Mineralogist (1969): 7: 561-577.

Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W., and Nichols, M.C. (2000) Handbook of Mineralogy, Volume IV. Arsenates, Phosphates, Vanadates. Mineral Data Publishing, Tucson, AZ, 680pp.: 125.

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    Localities for Conichalcite

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