Chrysocolla

History

• Name derived from Ancient Greek words for gold and glue
• Coined by Theophrastus in 315BC
• Allusion to material used to solder gold

Geology

• Cyan (blue-green) color
• Minor ore of copper
• Hardness ranges from 2.5 to 7.0
• Forms in oxidation zones of copper ore bodies
• Associated with quartz, limonite, azurite, malachite, cuprite, and other copper minerals

Jewelry

• Popular gemstone for carvings and ornamental use since antiquity
• Used in silversmithing and goldsmithing
• Wide range of Mohs hardness, depending on silica content
• Dark navy blue variety too soft for jewelry
• Cyan, green, and blue-green varieties suitable for jewelry

Gallery

• Stalactitic growths and thin carpet in vugs from San Simon Mine, Chile
• Banded white to blue-green specimen from Bisbee, Arizona
• Chrysocolla and silver bolo tie from Kennecot Copper Mine, Utah
• Brochantite and chrysocolla from Rokana Mine, Zambian Copperbelt

Related Topic

• Chrysocolla (gold-solder)

Chrysocolla Data Sources