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 (CaCu(AsO4)(OH)) is a copper-calcium arsenate. It is rare in well-developed, continuous 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

Finite material, no longer recoverable. These pieces were at the entrance to the mine, at the adit mouth, in a vein that resembled an arcade and was left untouched for years so that collectors and the curious could enjoy it… until one day it was found broken, and no more can be taken. Mina Previsión is, or was, Spain’s most emblematic locality for this habit—grape-bunch botryoids—in a matt, saturated green on dark ferruginous matrix.

Technical data

Catalogue No.
0494
Internal reference
T0314
Composition
CaCu(AsO₄)(OH)
Name
Conicalcita
Group
Arseniatos
Matrix
Ferruginosa (Limonita/Goethita)
Mine
Mina Previsión
District / Municipality
Fiñana
Province
Almería
Region
Andalucía
Country
España
Acquired
2025
Etymology
From the Greek roots κονία ('konis', dust) and χαλκος ('chalkos', copper), chosen by Breithaupt and Fritzsche to reflect its physical appearance and metal content.
Quality
Buena
Value trend
Estable

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