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Paramelaconite Buttgenbachite & Rouaite

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SIL691236

Paramelaconite Buttgenbachite & Rouaite

Rare Mineral

Description Tabs

Description
Locality: 
Likasi Mine, Kambove, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo
Class: 
Crystals on Matrix
Size Range: 
Miniature (4.5-7 cm)
Size: 
5 × 5 × 4 cm
Description

Three extremely rare minerals on one piece, Paramelaconite, Buttgenbachite and Rouaite, from the Likasi mine in DRC. This piece consists of one vug that is opened on two sides, filled with black paramelaconite, accompanied by several blue Buttgenbachite sprays. The contrast between the two makes the crystals really pop out. Both sides of the vug are equally impressive. On one side there is a crystal of green Rouaite. This could also be Gerhardtite, as these two are visually identical (and both have very similar X-ray powder diffraction patterns) and can change into one another really easily, it is very hard to say exactly which one this is. Fantastic specimen from the recent well analysed find.

Note: there is some debate about the locality of this new find, some say it is from Likas while others say it is from Tenke (50 km too the NW) but I am sceptical

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

Buttgenbachite

Formula: 
Cu19(NO3)2(OH)32Cl4·2H2O
Strunz: 
3.DA.25
Crystal System: 
Hexagonal
Hardness: 
3.0
Type Locality: 
Likasi Mine (Panda Mine), Likasi (Jadotville; Jadotstad), Katanga Copper Crescent, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)

Rouaite

Formula: 
Cu2(NO3)(OH)3
Strunz: 
5.NB.05
Hardness: 
0.0
Type Locality: 
Roua Mines (Clue de Roua), Daluis, Guillaumes, Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France...
Silmarils Minerals