TERRIUM — A mineralogy cabinet


Annabergita

Annabergita is a mineral with formula Ni₃(AsO₄)₂·8H₂O, in the Arseniatos group. This specimen comes from Mina Km 3 a Cielo Abierto, Lavreotiki, East Attica, Ática, Grecia and joined the Terrium collection in 2025.

Annabergita from Mina Km 3 a Cielo Abierto, Lavreotiki, East Attica, Ática, Grecia — Terrium

Description

Elongate, rectangular piece with intense grass-green annabergite as microbotryoidal aggregates on white quartz.

About Annabergita

Annabergite forms as a secondary mineral when nickel minerals alter in oxidised environments. Its intense green colour is unmistakable and much appreciated by collectors. It usually occurs as small crystals or bright crusts on light-coloured matrices. It is the nickel analogue of erythrite, sharing form but not colour. And erythrite is the cobalt version of vivianite.

About the locality

Lavrion, Greece, is one of the classic European localities for annabergite. At the Km 3 open pit mine, well-crystallised specimens with vivid hues and frequent associations with quartz, calcite or aragonite have been found. Mining at Lavrion dates back to classical antiquity; it supplied the silver that financed the wars against Sparta. Annabergite has been collected mainly since the 19th century.

Technical data

Catalogue No.
0028
Composition
Ni₃(AsO₄)₂·8H₂O
Name
Annabergita
Group
Arseniatos
Category
Cavella
Matrix
Cuarzo
Mine
Mina Km 3 a Cielo Abierto
District / Municipality
Lavreotiki
Province
East Attica
Region
Ática
Country
Grecia
Size (cm)
5 x 2.8 x 2.2
Weight
44.8 g
Acquired
2025
Etymology
The name "annabergite" comes from Annaberg, a locality in the Ore Mountains, Saxony (Germany), where it was first described in 1758.
Quality
Buena
Value trend
Estable

Related specimens

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