Specimen #669

Name: Chrysocolla & Cornetite, Malachite & Heterogenite

Type: Mineral

Locality: Kalukuluku Mine, Shaba Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Favorite? N

Fluorescent? N

Size: 14.2 x 14.2 x 3.3 cm

Weight: 430

Acquired: 2008-05-15

Source: Arkenstone Auction

Label: Y

Comment: There is so much going on with this large, rich plate of copper minerals that it is hard to describe it correctly. Basically what you have is layers of copper minerals with very similar chemistry layered atop one another. The greatest mass of the plate appears to be chrysocolla. There is a thin layer of cornetite that appears to be topped by microbotryoidal, lustrous malachite. I believe there is even some heterogenite here. The surface is quite lustrous, which you cannot see from the pics. On close inspection you can actually see into the green surface.

Minerals: Chrysocolla ((Cu,Al)₂H₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄ n(H₂O)) Cornetite (Cu₃(PO₄)(OH)₃) Heterogenite-2H (Co⁺⁺⁺O(OH)) Malachite (Cu₂(CO₃)(OH)₂)

There are 3 pictures on file

M00669-01.jpg:

Chrysocolla & Cornetite, Malachite & Heterogenite, Kalukuluku Mine, Shaba Province, Dem. Rep. of Congo, 14.2 x 14.2 x 3.3 cm

M00669-02.jpg:

Chrysocolla & Cornetite, Malachite & Heterogenite, Kalukuluku Mine, Shaba Province, Dem. Rep. of Congo

M00669-03.jpg:

Chrysocolla & Cornetite, Malachite & Heterogenite, Kalukuluku Mine, Shaba Province, Dem. Rep. of Congo