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Azurite

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Tsumeb Mine (Tsumcorp Mine), Tsumeb, Otjikoto (Oshikoto) Region, Namibia
© Rob Lavinsky

Show Azurite Photos (1343)
Formula:
Cu
 
3
[OH|CO
 
3
]
 
2
System:MonoclinicColour:Azure blue, blue, light ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:3½ - 4
Name:From the Persian lazhward, meaning "blue", in allusion to the color.


A secondary copper mineral frequently found in the oxidized zones of Cu-bearing ore deposits.

Azurite is typically found as tabular to prismatic crystals of a deep "azure blue" color with splendant vitreous faces. There are over 45 well-known forms, and over 100 forms have been described. Azurite is often pseudomorphed to Malachite, and the two are very frequently found together. Can be confused with Mrázekite.

Classification of Azurite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/C.01-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:5.BA.05

5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
B : Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
A : With Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Mn
Dana 7th edition ID:16.2.1.1
Dana 8th edition ID:16a.2.1.1

16a : ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
2 : (AB)3(XO3)2Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:11.2.2

11 : Carbonates
2 : Carbonates of Cu
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Type Occurrence of Azurite

Type Locality:Chessy-les-Mines, Rhône, Rhône-Alpes, France
Year of Discovery:1824

Occurrences of Azurite

Geological Setting:Found largely in the oxidized portions of copper deposits, it is a secondary mineral formed by the action of carbonated water acting on copper-containing minerals, or from Cu-containing solutions, such as CuSO^4 or CuCl^2 reacting with limestones.

Physical Properties of Azurite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Azure blue, blue, light blue, or dark blue; light blue in transmitted light
Streak:Light blue
Hardness (Mohs):3½ - 4
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
Perfect on {011}; on {100} fair; on {110} in traces.
Parting:None
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):3.77 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.834 g/cm3

Crystallography of Azurite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:P21/b (P1 1 21/b) [P21/c] {P1 21/c 1} {P21/a}
Cell Parameters:a = 5Å, b = 5.84Å, c = 10.35Å
β = 92.33°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.856 : 1 : 1.772
Unit Cell Volume:V 301.97 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Tabular {001}, less common {102} or {102}; prismatic [001] or [010]; sometimes equant or even rhombohedral; faces may be wavy with striations on {001} parallel to "a", on {100} parallel to "b." May also be massive, stalactic, or botryoidal.
Twinning:Rare, across {101}, {102} or {001}.
Crystal Atlas:
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Click on an icon to view
Azurite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Azurite no.87 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Azurite no.157 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Azurite no.301 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

About Crystal Atlas

You may need to scroll this box using your mouse to view the full instructions.

The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

The 3d models and java code are kindly provided by www.smorf.nl. You can control the movement of the models by holding down the left mouse-button over the 3d model and moving your mouse. Keyboard controls are:

: default positions
t/T: decrease/increase transparency x/X: next/previous texture
b/B: next/previous background w: toggle wireframe
s: toggle sticks m: toggle miller indices
k: toggle crystallographic axes =/-: zoom in/out
r: stop/start rotation 1/2/3


Note: You will not be able to switch between different crystal models using the Opera 8.5x web browser due to a bug in Opera - you need to use either Firefox or Internet Explorer 6/7 or Opera 9.
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.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
5.15(60)
5.08(30)
3.67(50)
3.52(100)
2.54(30)
2.51(40)
2.29(40)

Optical Data of Azurite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.730 nβ = 1.758 nγ = 1.838
2V:Measured: 68° , Calculated: 64°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.108

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:High
Dispersion:relatively weak
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:Pleochroic in blue, with absorption Z greater than Y greater than X.

Chemical Properties of Azurite

Formula:
Cu
 
3
[OH|CO
 
3
]
 
2
Essential elements:C, Cu, H, O
All elements listed in formula:C, Cu, H, O

Relationship of Azurite to other Species

Common Associates:
WadTenoriteMalachiteLimoniteCuprite
CopperChrysocollaChalcociteCalciteBrochantite
AtacamiteAntlerite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
5.BA.10Georgeite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
] · 6H
 
2
O
5.BA.10Glaukosphaerite
(Cu,Ni)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Kolwezite
(Cu,Co)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Malachite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Mcguinnessite
(Mg,Cu)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Nullaginite
Ni
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Pokrovskite
Mg
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Rosasite
(Cu,Zn)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Zincrosasite
(Zn,Cu)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Chukanovite
Fe
2+
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.15Aurichalcite
(Zn,Cu)
 
5
[(OH)
 
3
|CO
 
3
]
 
2
5.BA.15Hydrozincite
Zn
 
5
[(OH)
 
3
|CO
 
3
]
 
2
5.BA.20Holdawayite
Mn
 
6
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
7
(Cl,OH)
5.BA.25Defernite
Ca
 
6
(CO
 
3
)
 
2-x
(SiO
 
4
)
 
x
(OH)
 
7
(Cl,OH)
 
1-2x
 (x=0.5)
5.BA.30Loseyite
(Zn,Mn
2+
 
)
 
7
[(OH)
 
5
|CO
 
3
]
 
2
5.BA.30Sclarite
(Zn,Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
4
Zn
 
3
[(OH)
 
5
|CO
 
3
]
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
11.2.1Malachite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
11.2.4Chalconatronite
Na
 
2
Cu(CO
 
3
)
 
2
·3H
 
2
O
11.2.5Callaghanite
Cu
 
2
Mg
 
2
[(OH)
 
6
|CO
 
3
] · 2H
 
2
O

Other Names for Azurite

Synonyms:
Armenite (of Delamétherie)Azure Copper OreAzurite (of Beudant)AzzurriteBlue Carbonate of Copper
Blue MalachiteChessy copperChessyliteLasurLasurite (of Haidinger)
French names:
Bleu de montagneCuivre azuréCuivre Carbonaté Bleu
German names:
AzuritBergblauBerglasurChessylitKupferlapis
KupferlasurKupfer LazurLazurit (of von Kobell)Unächter LasursteinZinkazurit
Hebrew names:
אזורייט
Italian names:
Bleu di MonteRame carbonato azzurro
Japanese names:
藍銅鉱
Latin names:
CæruleumCæruleum montanumCuprum lazureumLapis armenius
Russian names:
Азурит
Spanish names:
AzuritaAzzurritaChessylitaCobre Azul
Swedish names:
Koppar-Lazur
Traditional Chinese names:
藍銅礦
Varieties:
Kupferblau

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:None.
Other Information:Soluble in dilute acids, ammonia, and hot concentrated solutions of NaHCO3. Slowly decomposed with removal of CO2 by boiling, but not by cold, water.
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:A very minor ore of copper.

References for Azurite

Reference List:Wallerius, J.G (1747) Mineralogia, eller Mineralriket. Stockholm: 280 (as Cæruleum montanum).

Stütz (1798) Einricht. nat., Vienna: 49 (as Unächter Lasurstein).

Beudant, F.S. (1824), Trailé élémentaire de Minéralogie, Paris: 417.

Haidinger, Wm. (1845) Handbuch der bestimmenden Mineralogie. Vienna: 508 (as Lasur).

Rose (1851) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 84: 484.

Breithaupt, A. (1852) Berg.- und hüttenmännisches Zeitung, Freiberg, Leipzig (merged into Glückauf): 11: 101 (as Zinkazurit).

Brooke, H.J. and Miller, W.H. (1852) Introduction to Mineralogy by Wm. Phillips, London, 1823. New edition by Brooke and Miller, London: 594 (as Chessylite).

Kobell, Fr. Von (1853): 32 (as Lasurit).

Dana, J.D. (1868) System of Mineralogy, 5th. Edition, New York: 715.

Schrauf (1871) Konigliche Akademie der Wissenschaften, Sitzber., Vienna: 64: 123.

Schröder (1874) Jb. Min.: 712.

Yeates (1889) American Journal of Science: 38: 405.

Dana, E.S. (1892) System of Mineralogy, 6th. Edition, New York: 295.

Lacroix (1909): 3: 756.

Merwin (1914) Journal of the Washington Academy of Science: 4: 253.

Schrader et al (1917) USGS Bulletin 624 (localities).

Goldschmidt, V. (1918) Atlas der Krystallformen. 9 volumes, atlas, and text: vol. 5: 85.

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 43.

Palache, C. and Lewis (1927) American Mineralogist: 12: 99.

Stecher (1929) Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Beil.-Bd., Heidelberg, Stuttgart: 59A: 159.

Zedlitz (1929) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 71: 1.

Brasseur (1931) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 77: 177.

Brasseur (1932) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 82: 195.

Brasseur (1933) Soc. roy. sc. Liége, Mem.: 18: 1.

Galbraith (1941) Arizona Bureau of Mines, Geology Series, Bull. 149.

Palache and Lewis (1942) American Mineralogist: 27: 334.

Beck (1946) Ph.D. thesis, Harvard University (unpublished).

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: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 264-269.

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 135: 416-436.

Gaines, Richard V., H. Catherine, W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason, Abraham Rosenzweig (1997), Dana's New Mineralogy : The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, 8th. edition: 482.

Internet Links for Azurite

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    Localities for Azurite

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