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Turquoise Var Calaite

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NST665929

Turquoise Var Calaite

With Antique Label

Description Tabs

Description
Locality: 
Oelsnitz, Vogtland, Saxony, Germany
Class: 
Crystals on Matrix
Size Range: 
Cabinet (10-18 cm)
Size: 
10.5 × 6.5 × 5 cm
Description

This is a very interesting old-timer of historic relevance.
A first mention of the mineral Variscite can be found in a short message of August BREITHAUPT in 1835: "The mineral of Mosbach in the Voigtlande, not that of Oelsnitz which was given out for Calaite (=Turquoise), I now call Variscite, after I have recognized it as a particular species. Contains also phosphoric acid."
 

Mineral Data
What's on the rock

Turquoise

Formula: 
Cu(Al,Fe3+)6(PO4)4(OH)8·4H2O
Strunz: 
8.DD.15
Crystal System: 
Triclinic
Hardness: 
5.0 - 6.0