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Paramelaconite

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JYJ727733

Paramelaconite

Description Tabs

Description
Locality: 
Tenke Deposit, Tenke-Fungurume, Kolwezi, Lualaba, DR Congo
Class: 
Crystals on Matrix
Size Range: 
Miniature (4.5-7 cm)
Size: 
4.5 × 4 × 1.75 cm
Description

Black metallic paramelaconite in cavities of cuprite with minor likasite associated with malachite. Appart from the main crystal group on cuprite one crystal depicted above is impaled by malachite. Raman confirmed, analysis attached (no rruff reference available, but compared to other reference data published in scientific magazine). 

The formation of paramelaconite needs an N rich environment. Over 10 years researchers tried to synthesize paramelaconite without success until they understood that the formation is a two step reaction involving the formation of an ammonium-copper complex first in N rich environment while copper is leached. For more information visit the paramelaconite page of wiki/en. 

The mineral is predominantly found associated with native copper and dark blue likasite as an indicator mineral. This paragenesis that is compatible with the formation of paramelaconite might be limited to a very small area where the N rich formation is present and native copper impregnates the cuprite. Many specimens only host native copper in cuprite without the copper nitrates! As shown by Raman spectroscopy the bright blue buttgenbachite is also a valid mineral that is typically associated with rouaite. 

 

 

 

Mineral Data
What's on the rock

Paramelaconite

Formula: 
Cu2Cu2O3
Strunz: 
4.AA.15
Hardness: 
4.5
Type Locality: 
Copper Queen Mine (Halero Mine), Queen Hill, Bisbee, Warren District, Mule Mts, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA
Analysis
Analysis Report - only: Paramelaconite