Brochantita
Brochantita is a mineral with formula Cu₄(SO₄)(OH)₆, in the Sulfatos group. This specimen comes from Mina Vieja, Potrerillos, Atacama, Chile and joined the Terrium collection in 1999.
Description
Intense turquoise-green brochantite radial aggregates on a brownish matrix.
History of this specimen
I keep two provenance labels with the precise locality "Vieja Mine, Potrerillos, Chañaral, Atacama, Chile".
About Brochantita
Brochantite is a copper hydroxy-sulphate that forms in the oxidised zones of copper deposits. It commonly grows as acicular crystals and radial aggregates ("sprays", 'hedgehogs') and may be associated with cyanotrichite, atacamite or chrysocolla.
About the locality
Mina Vieja (Potrerillos) belongs to the historic copper district of Atacama. It is a less common locality than others in the Chilean copper belt, but is known among collectors for intense turquoise-green acicular brochantite coatings and occasional associations with cyanotrichite. Potrerillos began as a large copper mining camp in the 1910s–1920s, around the mine and the smelter, and for decades it was a very important locality in northern Chile. Over time it lost its central role. In the early 2000s it lost its last residents due to pollution from mining and metallurgical operations. Since then it has been a ghost town.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0034
- Composition
- Cu₄(SO₄)(OH)₆
- Name
- Brochantita
- Group
- Sulfatos
- Category
- Asteris Explosio
- Matrix
- Granítica
- Mine
- Mina Vieja
- District / Municipality
- Potrerillos
- Province
- Atacama
- Country
- Chile
- Size (cm)
- 4 x 3.5 x 3
- Weight
- 54 g
- Acquired
- 1999
- Ex-collection
- Christian Bley
- Etymology
- Named after André-Jean-François-Marie Brochant de Villiers (1772–1840).
- Quality
- Muy buena
- Value trend
- Estable
Related specimens
- Anhidrita — México
- Atacamita — Chile
- Barita — Polonia
- Barita — España
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- Barita (Azul) — España
- Barita (Azul) — España
- Barita — Perú