AURICHALCITE



Aurichalcite, a zinc copper carbonate hydroxide mineral, was reported from Franklin and Sterling Hill by Palache (1935), but is largely unstudied. It is less common than azurite or malachite, although hand-sized specimens have been preserved. No data have been published. Aurichalcite occurs as tufts and clusters of very light blue, acicular crystals, commonly on a severely altered goethite-bearing matrix at both deposits.
The occurrences are probably the same as for azurite and malachite, but may represent a later stage of oxidation. Jenkins (1992) reported an occurrence of aurichalcite associated with orthoserpierite in the Sterling Mine, and Jenkins and Misiur (1994) reported an occurrence with oxidized sulfides. (Dunn, 1995)

 Location Found: Franklin and Ogdensburg
     
 
 Year Discovered: 1839
     
 Formula: (Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6
 Essential Elements: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Zinc
 All Elements in Formula: Carbon, Copper, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Zinc
     
 IMA Status: Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
     
     
 To find out more about this mineral at minDat's website, follow this link   Aurichalcite

     
 References:
Dunn, Pete J. (1995). Franklin and Sterling Hill New Jersey: the world's most magnificent mineral deposits. Franklin, NJ.: The Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society. p.618

Frondel, Clifford (1972). The minerals of Franklin and Sterling Hill, a checklist. NY.: John Willey & Sons. p.43
The Picking Table References
 PT Issue and PageDescription / Comment
View IssueV. 35, No. 2 - Fall 1994, pg. 18A Complex Base-Metal Assemblage From the Sterling Mine New Jersey - Aurichalcite
View IssueV. 24 No. 2 - Fall 1983, pg. 11Minerals of the Buckwheat Dolomite Franklin, New Jersey, Aurichalcite (small description)
     
Images
     
Aurichalcite surface coating and sprays on calcite from Sterling Hill Mine, NJ
Aurichalcite surface coating and sprays (light to dark green) on calcite from Sterling Hill Mine, NJ. From the collection of, and photo by JVF.






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