Libethenita
Libethenita is a mineral with formula Cu₂(PO₄)(OH), in the Fosfatos group. This specimen comes from Mina Miguel Vacas, Nossa Senhora da Conceição e São Bartolomeu, Vila Viçosa, Évora, Portugal and joined the Terrium collection in 2000.
Description
Well-defined, lustrous dark green crystals in an elongate cavity. They are distributed with good coverage on a laminated slaty matrix of brown and grey tones. In the central part of the cavity there is a fine association of bright blue-green minute spherules, probably conichalcite, consistent with the context of copper phosphates at Mina Miguel Vacas. Marked colour contrast.
History of this specimen
Collected directly by Ángel García.
About Libethenita
Few copper phosphates offer this level of lustre and definition at small sizes. Libethenite from Vila Viçosa is a world reference for its dark colour, compact habit and excellent crystallisation.
About the locality
Classic Portuguese locality for copper phosphates. Secondary mineralisation in oxidising environments, with well-crystallised libethenite associated with brecciated quartz, famous worldwide.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0060
- Composition
- Cu₂(PO₄)(OH)
- Name
- Libethenita
- Group
- Fosfatos
- Category
- Cavella
- Matrix
- Matriz pizarrosa
- Associations
- Conicalcita
- Mine
- Mina Miguel Vacas
- District / Municipality
- Nossa Senhora da Conceição e São Bartolomeu
- Province
- Vila Viçosa
- Region
- Évora
- Country
- Portugal
- Size (cm)
- 10 x 5 x 4.5
- Weight
- 154.8 g
- Acquired
- 2000
- Ex-collection
- Ángel García
- Etymology
- From the German "Libethenit", referring to the Slovak locality Libethen (now Lubietová), where it was first described in 1823.
- Quality
- Muy buena
- Value trend
- Estable