Dioptase Mineral Data

Dioptase Mineral Data +

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General Dioptase Information

Chemical Formula:

CuSiO2(OH)2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 157.64 gm

Copper 40.31 % Cu 50.46 % CuO

Silicon 17.82 % Si 38.11 % SiO₂

Hydrogen 1.28 % H 11.43 % H₂O

Oxygen 40.60 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

CuSiO₂(OH)₂

Environment:

Secondary mineral in oxidized zones of copper deposits.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1797

Locality:

Tsumeb and Cochab, Namibia. Altyn Tube, Russia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek, dia - "through" and optomai - "vision."

Synonym:

ICSD 100077

PDF 33-487

Dioptase Image

Images:

Dioptase

Comments: Dark-blue-green crystals of dioptase on matrix. The color of dioptase does not photograph well and must be seen in person to appreciate.
Location: Altyn-tyube, Kasakhstan. Scale: Crystal size 5 mm.
© Dave Barthelmy

Images:

Dioptase

Comments: Emerald green lustrous crystals of dioptase to 14 mm in size and doubly terminated, set upon a limestone and massive calcite matrix.
Location: Altyn-Tyube, South Kazakhstan Oblast', Kazakhstan. Scale: 3.5 x 4.5 x 2 cm.
© Dan Weinrich

Images:

Dioptase Minrecordite

Comments: Blue-green dioptase covered with minute, rhombic crystals of transparent minrecordite one mm or less in size.
Location: Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia. Scale: Picture size 1 cm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Dioptase Kinoite

Comments: Fibrous crystals of blue-green dioptase to 0.75mm on clear apophyllite associated with dark blue kinoite.
Location: Christmas mine, Gila Co., Arizona, USA. Scale: Pictures size 6 mm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix

Dioptase Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.53397

Cell Dimensions:

a = 14.57, c = 7.78, Z = 18; V = 1,430.31 Den(Calc)= 3.29

Crystal System:

Trigonal - RhombohedralH-M Symbol ( 3) Space Group: R 3

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.6(1), 2.443(0.6), 7.29(0.5),

Forms:

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Crystal Structure:

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Ribbe P H , Gibbs G V , Hamil M , American Mineralogist , 62 (1977) p.807-811, A refinement of the structure of dioptase, Cu6[Si6O18]*6H2O, Note: sample is from Reneville, Congo

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Dioptase
[1]

Physical Properties of Dioptase

Cleavage:

[1011] Good

Color:

Dark blue green, Emerald green, Turquoise.

Density:

3.28 - 3.35, Average = 3.31

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Cryptocrystalline - Occurs as crystals too small to distinguish with the naked eye.

Habit:

Crystalline - Coarse - Occurs as well-formed coarse sized crystals.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

5 - Apatite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

green

Optical Properties of Dioptase

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.009 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2058,KPDmeas= 0.2042,KC= 0.2039

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (+), w=1.644-1.658, e=1.697-1.709, bire=0.0510-0.0530.

Calculated Properties of Dioptase

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.24 gm/cc
note: r_Dioptase=3.32 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00851
Boson Index = 0.99149

Photoelectric:

PE_Dioptase= 18.11 barns/electron
U=PE_Dioptase x r_electron= 58.65 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Dioptase is Not Radioactive

Dioptase Classification

Dana Class:

61.1.3.1 (61)Cyclosilicate Six-Membered Rings

(61.1)with [Si6O18] rings; possible (OH) and Al substitution

(61.1.3)Dana Group

61.1.3.1 Dioptase CuSiO2(OH)2 R 3 3

Strunz Class:

VIII/E.21-10 VIII - Silicates

VIII/E - Cyklosilicates, six rings [Si6O18]12-

VIII/E.21 - Dioptase - Chrysocolla series

VIII/E.21-10 Dioptase CuSiO2(OH)2 R 3 3

VIII/E.21-20 Chrysocolla (Cu,Al)2H2Si2O5(OH)4·n(H2O) Unk Ortho

Other Dioptase Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

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Dioptase

CuSiO2(OH)2
Dana No: 61.1.3.1 Strunz No: VIII/E.21-10
Locality:

Notes: