TERRIUM — A mineralogy cabinet

Adamita Cuprífera

Adamita is a mineral with formula Zn₂AsO₄(OH), in the Arseniatos group. This specimen comes from Hilarion Mine / Kamariza Mines, Agios Konstantinos, Lavreotiki, Ática, Grecia and joined the Terrium collection in 1986.

Adamita Cuprífera from Hilarion Mine / Kamariza Mines, Agios Konstantinos, Lavreotiki, Ática, Grecia — Terrium

Description

Deep green translucent cuproadamite spherules with vitreous lustre, accompanied by much paler, dull botryoidal malachite, in a fracture on reddish-brown matrix.

History of this specimen

Comos with its handwritten 1980s label, which I associate with the classic Lavrion collecting of that decade, when numerous cuproadamite specimens with malachite were coming out.

About Adamita

Cuproadamite is a variety of the zinc arsenate adamite in which part of the zinc is replaced by copper, imparting the characteristic green colour.

About the locality

Agios Konstantinos is an emblematic Lavrion mine, worked since antiquity for its lead, silver and copper veins. Alteration in the oxidation zone produced a large variety of secondary minerals: cuproadamite, smithsonite, cerussite and malachite. These reddish-brown pieces with intense green botryoidal forms are a district classic.

Technical data

Catalogue No.
0280
Composition
Zn₂AsO₄(OH)
Name
Adamita
Variety
Cuprífera
Group
Arseniatos
Category
Lucimera
Matrix
Matriz limonítica porosa
Associations
malaquita
Mine
Hilarion Mine / Kamariza Mines
District / Municipality
Agios Konstantinos
Province
Lavreotiki
Region
Ática
Country
Grecia
Size (cm)
7.5 x 4.2 x 3.5
Weight
92 g
Acquired
1986
Etymology
The Greek adamas ('indomitable'), root of 'diamond', is unrelated here: adamite is an eponym honouring Gilbert-Joseph Adam, the French mineralogist who collected the first specimens at Chañarcillo, Chile. Calling it 'indomitable' would be a joke—at 3.5 on the Mohs scale it is rather soft.
Quality
Muy buena
Value trend
Al alza

Related specimens

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