Mineralpedia Details for Ajoite

Named after the type locality at the New Cornelia mine, also called the Ajo mine, in Ajo, Arizona, USA. Ajoite is a rare mineral that occurs in additional USA localities, as well as in Mexico, South Africa, Namibia, Austria, Romania, Germany, and Japan. It is found “in oxidized copper-rich base metal deposits” in association with shattuckite, conichalcite, quartz, muscovite, pyrite, creaseyite, fluorite, duhamelite, sillenite, and papagoite.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/ajoite.pdf

Formula

Na₃Cu²⁺₂₀Al₃Si₂₉O₇₆(OH)₁₆·8H₂O 

Crystal System

Triclinic 

Crystal Habit

Massive, Lath, Platy 

Cleavage

Perfect, None, None 

Luster

Vitreous (Glassy) 

Color

blue green 

Streak

greenish white 

Class

Triclinic - Pinacoidal 

Hardness

- 

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Mindat

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Aqua bluish green, silky, platy crystals to 0.3mm in vuggy matrix.

Bluish green, platy micro crystals to 1mm, free-standing in open cavities.