Chrysocolla (hydrated copper silicate) is a mineral, CuSiO3·nH2O. It is of secondary origin and forms in the oxidation zones of copper ore bodies. Associated minerals are quartz, limonite, azurite, malachite, cuprite, and other secondary copper minerals.
Chrysocolla is an attractive blue-green colour and is minor ore of copper, having a hardness of 2.5 to 3.5. It is also used as an ornamental stone. It is typically found as glassy botryoidal or rounded masses and crusts, or vein fillings.
The name comes from the Greek chrysos, "gold", and kolla, "glue", in allusion to the name of the material used to solder gold, and was first used by Theophrastus in 315 BCE.
Notable occurrences include Israel, Zaire, Chile, Cornwall in England, and Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Pennsylvania in the United States.
See also
Last updated: 10-21-2005 02:52:55
