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Olivenite

Big Photo

Clara Mine, Rankach valley, Oberwolfach, Wolfach, Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
© D. Schläfli

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Formula:
Cu
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
System:MonoclinicColour:Olive green to yellow or ...
Hardness:3
Name:In allusion to its common olive-green color.


Olivenite Group. Adamite-Olivenite Series. the copper analogue of Adamite.

Note: 'Zincolivenite' or 'Zinc-olivenite' were also used for Zn-bearing olivenites with unspecified Zn:Cu ratios. Zincolivenite (with a structured ratio of Zn:Cu) is now a distinct species.

A secondary copper mineral found in the oxidized zones of copper deposits containing arsenic-bearing phases, especially Enargite.

Classification of Olivenite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/B.06-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.BB.30

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 about 1:1
Dana 8th edition ID:41.6.6.1

41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : A2(XO4)Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:20.1.2

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

Type Locality:Carharrack Mine, St Day United Mines (Poldice Mines), Carharrack, Gwennap area, Camborne - Redruth - St Day District, Cornwall, England, UK
Year of Discovery:1820

Occurrences of Olivenite

Geological Setting:Commonly found in the oxidized zone of arsenic-bearing copper deposits.

Physical Properties of Olivenite

Lustre:Adamantine, Vitreous, Silky, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent, Opaque
Comment:Pearly to silky if fibrous.
Colour:Olive green to yellow or brown, gray-green, grayish white; light green in transmitted light.
Comment:Straw yellow if fibrous.
Streak:Olive green to brown
Hardness (Mohs):3
Hardness Data:Measured
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
Indistinct on {101} and {110}
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.46 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.45 g/cm3

Crystallography of Olivenite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:P21/m {P1 1 21/m} {P21/m} {P1 21/m 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 8.5844(3) Å, b = 8.2084(3) Å, c = 5.9258(2) Å
β = 90.130(3)°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.046 : 1 : 0.722
Unit Cell Volume:V 417.56 ų
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals elongated [100]; also short prismatic to acicular [001]; tabular on {011}, {100}, or {001}, less common. Occurs as globular or reniform masses with a fibrous structure with the fibers straight and divergent, rarely irregular; curved lamellar; massive, granular to earthy; nodular.
Twinning:On {010}
Crystal Atlas:
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Olivenite no.9 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Olivenite no.19 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

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Structure
  Reference
Burns P C Hawthorne F C (1995) Rietveld refinement of the crystal structure of olivenite: A twinned monoclinic structure. The Canadian Mineralogist 33:885-888.

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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 Olivenite

Type:Biaxial (+/-)
RI values: nα = 1.747 - 1.780 nβ = 1.788 - 1.820 nγ = 1.829 - 1.865
2V:Measured: 80° to 90°, Calculated: 46° to 84°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.082 - 0.085

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 or r < v
Pleochroism:Weak
Comments:In green and yellow.
Absorption Y > X, Z.

Chemical Properties of Olivenite

Formula:
Cu
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
Essential elements:As, Cu, H, O
All elements listed in formula:As, Cu, H, O
Common Impurities:Fe,P

Relationship of Olivenite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Adamite (see here)
Member of Group:
Olivenite Group:
Common Associates:
ScoroditeMalachiteLimoniteEnargiteAzurite
Adamite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.BB.05Amblygonite
LiAl[(F,OH)|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.05Montebrasite
LiAl[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.05Tavorite
LiFe
3+
 
[OH|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.10Triplite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
[(F,OH)|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.10Zwieselite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
[F|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.15Sarkinite
Mn
2+
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BB.15Triploidite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.15Wagnerite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
[F|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.15Wolfeite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.15Stanĕkite
Fe
3+
 
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)[O|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.15Joosteite
Mn
2+
 
(Mn
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)[PO
 
4
]O
8.BB.15Hydroxylwagnerite
Mg
 
2
[PO
 
4
](OH)
8.BB.20Holtedahlite
Mg
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.20Satterlyite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
[(OH,O)|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.25Althausite
Mg
 
2
[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.30Adamite
Zn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.30Eveite
Mn
2+
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BB.30Libethenite
Cu
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.30Zincolibethenite
CuZnPO
 
4
OH
8.BB.30Zincolivenite
CuZn(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.30IMA2009-037
Fe
3+
 
Cu
2+
 
AsO
 
4
O
8.BB.35Paradamite
Zn
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BB.35Tarbuttite
Zn
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
8.BB.40Barbosalite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BB.40Hentschelite
CuFe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BB.40Lazulite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BB.40Scorzalite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BB.40Wilhelmkleinite
ZnFe
3+
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BB.45Trolleite
Al
 
4
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BB.50Namibite
Cu(BiO)
 
2
(VO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.55Phosphoellenbergerite
Mg
 
14
[(OH)
 
6
|(HPO
 
4
,CO
 
3
)
 
2
|(PO
 
4
)
 
6
]
8.BB.60Urusovite
Cu[AlAsO
 
5
]
8.BB.65Theoparacelsite
Cu
 
3
[(OH)
 
2
|As
 
2
O
 
7
]
8.BB.70Turanite
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
2
|VO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BB.75Stoiberite
Cu
 
5
[O
 
2
|(VO
 
4
)
 
2
]
8.BB.80Fingerite
Cu
 
11
[O
 
2
|(VO
 
4
)
 
6
]
8.BB.85Averievite
Cu
 
6
[O
 
2
|Cl
 
2
|(VO
 
4
)
 
2
]
8.BB.90Lipscombite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BB.90Richellite
Ca
 
3
Fe
3+
10
[(OH,F)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
4
 · nH
 
2
O (not confirmed)
8.BB.90Zinclipscombite
ZnFe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
20.1.1Lammerite
Cu
 
3
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
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
20.1.12Conichalcite
CaCu[OH|AsO
 
4
]
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 Olivenite

Synonyms:
Acicular arseniate of copperLaurochalciteOlive Copper OreOlive-green Copper OrePharmacholzite
PharmacochalcitePharmacochalzitePharmakochalciteWood-ArsenateWood-Copper
Other Languages:
Catalan:Olivenita
Dutch:Oliveniet
French:Olivénite
Cuivre arseniaté en octaèdre aigus
Cuivre Arseniaté (of Bournon)
German:Arseniksaures Kupfererz
Holzkupfererz
Laurochalcit
Olivenerz
Olivenit
Olivenkupfer
Pharmacholzit
Pharmacochalcit
Pharmacochalzit
Pharmacolzit
Pharmakochalcit
Pharmakochalzit
Italian:Olivenite
Polish:Olivenit
Russian:Оливенит
Slovak:Olivenit
Spanish:Laurochalcita
Olivenita
Varieties:
Cobaltoan OliveniteLeucochalciteWood CopperZincian Olivenite

Other Information

Other Information:Soluble in acids and in ammonia.
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 Olivenite

Reference List:Klaproth (1786) Schriften der Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde in Berlin: 7: 160 (as Arseniksaures Kupfererz).

Werner (1789) Bergmaennusches Journal, Freiberg (Neues Bergmannische Journal): 382, 385 (as Olivenerz).

Kirwan, R. (1796) Elements of Mineralogy. Second edition: 2: 151 (as Olive Copper Ore).

Rashleigh, P. (1797) Specimens of British Minerals Selected from the Cabinet of Phillip Rashleigh. London. Part 1: pl. 11, figure 2; part 2 (1802): pl. 6 (as Olive-green Copper Ore).

Bournon (1801) Transactions of the Royal Philosophical Society, London: 177 (as Cuivre arseniaté en octaèdre aigus).

Hausmann, J.F.L. (1813) Handbuch der Mineralogie 3 volumes, Göttingen: 3: 1042 (as Pharmacochalzit).

Hausmann, J.F.L. (1813) Handbuch der Mineralogie 3 volumes, Göttingen: 3: 1045 (as Olivenkupfer).

Jameson, R. (1820) A System of Mineralogy, third edition, 3 volumes: 2: 335.

Leonhard, K.C. (1821) Handbuch der Oryktognosie. First edition: 283.

Thomson, T. (1836) Outlines of Mineralogy, Geology, and Mineral Analysis. 2 volumes, London: 1: 614.

Hermann (1844) Journal für praktische Chemie, Leipzig: 33: 291.

Damour (1845) Annales de chimie et de physique, Paris: 13: 412.

Hausmann, J.F.L. (1847) Handbuch der Mineralogie, Second edition. Göttingen:
vol. 2, in two parts: 1025 (as Pharmacolzit).

Dana, J.D. (1868) System of Mineralogy, 5th. Edition, New York: 564.

Hillebrand (1884) Proceedings of the Colorado Scientific Society: 1: 113.

Hillebrand and Washington (1888) American Journal of Science: 35: 298.

Dana, E.S. (1892) System of Mineralogy, 6th. Edition, New York: 785.

Goldschmidt, V. (1920) Atlas der Krystallformen. 9 volumes, atlas, and text: vol. 6: 90.

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 116.

Biehl (1919) Dissertation, Münster.

Biehl (1925) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 62: 328.

Shannon, Earl V. (1926) “The Minerals of Idaho,” U.S. National Museum Bulletin 131: 425.

Winchell, A. (1933) Elements of Optical Mineralogy, part 2, ”Descriptions of Minerals,” third edition, 459 pp.: 132.

Strunz (1936) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 94: 60 (Olivenite Group).

Heritsch (1937) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 98: 351.

Heritsch (1938) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 99: 466.

Jarrell (1939) American Mineralogist: 24: 632.

Heritsch (1940) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 102: 1 (Olivenite Group).

Richmond (1940) American Mineralogist: 25: 453.

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.: 859-861.

Canadian Mineralogist (1995): 33: 885-888.

Acta Crystallographica: B33: 2628-2631.

Li, C., H. Yang, & R.T.Downs: Redeteriminaton of olivenite from an untwinned single-crystal: Acta Crystallographica E64, i60-i61 (2008)

Articles/Blogs about Olivenite

Article entries:
Olivenite habits from Grube ClaraDominik Schläfli

Internet Links for Olivenite

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    Localities for Olivenite

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