Azurite Mineral Data

Azurite Mineral Data +

We specialise in top quality, fine minerals from Morocco, Namibia,
South Africa, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo (ZaÃƒï¿½Ã‚Â¯re) and China
Worldwide Fine Minerals by B & C GOBIN

General Azurite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 344.67 gm

Copper 55.31 % Cu 69.24 % CuO

Hydrogen 0.58 % H 5.23 % H₂O

Carbon 6.97 % C 25.54 % CO₂

Oxygen 37.14 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂

Environment:

Secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of copper ore deposits.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) Prehistoric

Locality:

Tsumeb near Otavi, Namibia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Persian lazhward, meaning "blue.".

Synonym:

Chessylite

ICSD 2934

PDF 11-682

Azurite Image

Images:

Azurite Malachite

Comments: Dark blue stubby pyramidal azurite crystals and green botryoidal-shaped radial aggregates of malachite.
Location: Nevada Lode Mine, San Juan Co., Utah, USA. Scale: 4 cm.
© Dave Barthelmy

Images:

Azurite Clinotyrolite

Comments: Light blue acicular crystals of clinotyrolite on dark blue azurite.
Location: Lovelock mine, Churchill County, Nevada, USA. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Azurite

Comments: Sharp, dark blue, crystalline azurite group.
Location: Puit IX, Touissit, Oujda. Scale: 5 x 3.3 x 1.3 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Images:

Azurite Cyanotrichite

Comments: Blue, hairy crystals of cyanotrichite with dark-blue, blocky azurite on a green, malachite matrix.
Location: Maid of Sunshine Mine, Cochise County, Arizona, USA. Scale: See Image.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Azurite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.8569:1:1.7686

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.008, b = 5.844, c = 10.336, Z = 2; beta = 92.333° V = 302.25 Den(Calc)= 3.79

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/a

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.516(1), 2.224(0.7), 5.15(0.55),

Forms:

Mouse
Dbl Clk - Start-Stop Rotation
RMB - Cycle Display Modes
Drag1 - Manipulate Crystal
Drag2 - Resize
Keyboard
S - Stereo
I - Indicies
<space> - Start-Stop Rotation
F - Fit to Screen
M - Menu
Help on Above

Forms: [ 0 1 1] [ 1 1 0] [ 1 0 2] [ 0 1 3] [ 1 0 0] [ 1 1 1] [ 0 0 1]

Warning: this large pop-up is very compute intensive and may not work well with some computers.

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

Belokoneva E L , Gubina Y K , Forsyth J B , Physics and Chemistry of Minerals , 28 (2001) p.498-507, The charge density distribution and antiferromagnetic properties of, azurite Cu3[CO3]2(OH)2, Note: O1 x-coordinate altered

Physical Properties of Azurite

Cleavage:

[011] Perfect, [100] Fair

Color:

Azure blue, Blue, Light blue, Dark blue.

Density:

3.77 - 3.89, Average = 3.83

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to subtranslucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Habit:

Stalactitic - Shaped like pendant columns as stalactites or stalagmites (e.g. calcite).

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

3.5-4 - Copper Penny-Fluorite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

light blue

Optical Properties of Azurite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.069 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.08 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2046,KPDmeas= 0.2024,KC= 0.1894

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.73, b=1.758, g=1.838, bire=0.1080, 2V(Calc)=64, 2V(Meas)=68. Dispersion relatively weak.

Pleochroism (x):

clear blue.

Pleochroism (y):

clear blue.

Pleochroism (z):

dark purple.

Calculated Properties of Azurite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.67 gm/cc
note: r_Azurite=3.83 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00094
Boson Index = 0.99906

Photoelectric:

PE_Azurite= 24.43 barns/electron
U=PE_Azurite x r_electron= 89.58 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Azurite is Not Radioactive

Azurite Classification

Dana Class:

16a.2.1.1 (16a)Carbonates - Hydroxyl or Halogen

(16a.2)where (A B)3 (XO3)2 Zq

(16a.2.1)Dana Group

16a.2.1.1 Azurite Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

Strunz Class:

V/C.01-10 V - Nitrates, Carbonates and Borates

V/C - Waterfree carbonates with unfamiliar anions

V/C.01 - Azurite - Rosasite group and related compounds

V/C.01-10 Azurite Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

V/C.01-20 Malachite Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

V/C.01-25 Georgeite Cu5(CO3)3(OH)4·6(H2O) None

V/C.01-30 Pokrovskite Mg2(CO3)(OH)2·0.5(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

V/C.01-40 Mcguinnessite (Mg,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2/a or P 2₁/a 2/m

V/C.01-50 Kolwezite (Cu,Co)2(CO3)(OH)2 P1 or P1 Tri

V/C.01-60 Glaukosphaerite (Cu,Ni)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

V/C.01-70 Nullaginite Ni2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/m,P 2₁ Mono

V/C.01-80 Rosasite (Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

V/C.01-90 Zincrosasite (Zn,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

V/C.01-100 Hydrozincite Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6 C 2/m 2/m

V/C.01-105 Brianyoungite Zn3(CO3,SO4)(OH)4 C 2/m 2/m

V/C.01-110 Aurichalcite (Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6 P 2₁/m 2/m

V/C.01-120 Loseyite (Mn,Zn)7(CO3)2(OH)10 A2/a 2/m

V/C.01-130 Sclarite (Zn,Mg,Mn)4Zn3(CO3)2(OH)10 A2/a 2/m

Other Azurite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

Search for Azurite using:

[ALTAVISTA] [AOL] [About.com] [All-The-Web] [HotBot] [Ixquick] [LookSmart] [MAMMA] [MSN.COM] [Netscape] [Teoma] [Wikipedia] [YAHOO]

Visit our Advertisers for Azurite :
AA Mineral Specimens
B and L Minerals
Dan Weinrich Fine Minerals
Dan Weinrich Auctions
e-Rocks Auctions
Excalibur Minerals
Exceptional Minerals
Fabre Minerals
Greenside Minerals
John Betts Fine Minerals
Masons Minerals
Minernet.it
Mineral News
Mineral of the Month Club
MineralsWeb Fine Minerals
Rockshop.cz Kalat Fine Minerals
T G Fine Minerals
Wrights Rock Shop

Translate Azurite Mineral Data :

Ask about Azurite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

Print or Cut-and-Paste your Azurite Specimen Label here :

Azurite

Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
Dana No: 16a.2.1.1 Strunz No: V/C.01-10
Locality:

Notes: