TERRIUM — A mineralogy cabinet


Conicalcita

Conicalcita is a mineral with formula CaCu(AsO₄)(OH), in the Arseniatos group. This specimen comes from Mina Previsión, Fiñana, Almería, Andalucía, España and joined the Terrium collection in 2025.

Conicalcita from Mina Previsión, Fiñana, Almería, Andalucía, España — Terrium

Description

Intense green colour, botryoidal habit. On dark ferruginous matrix. Cavity with globular texture.

History of this specimen

I bought it at the La Unión Fair.

About Conicalcita

Conichalcite is a calcium copper arsenate. It is rare in continuous, well-developed botryoidal aggregates as in this case. At this locality it occurs as globular coatings of very saturated green with a matt aspect.

About the locality

The material was finite and is no longer recoverable. These specimens were at the mine entrance, at the adit mouth, in a vein that looked like an arcade that was left untouched for years so that collectors and onlookers could enjoy it, but one day it was found broken and no more can be collected. Mina Previsión is, or was, the most emblematic locality in Spain for this habit (grape-like), with that matt, saturated green on dark ferruginous matrix.

Technical data

Catalogue No.
0314
Composition
CaCu(AsO₄)(OH)
Name
Conicalcita
Group
Arseniatos
Matrix
Ferruginosa (Limonita/Goethita)
Mine
Mina Previsión
District / Municipality
Fiñana
Province
Almería
Region
Andalucía
Country
España
Size (cm)
6 x 3 x 3
Weight
114.6 g
Acquired
2025
Etymology
Greek roots κονία ('konis', dust) and χαλκος ('chalkos', copper), chosen by Breithaupt and Fritzsche to reflect its physical appearance and metallic content.
Quality
Buena
Value trend
Estable

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