Mineralpedia Details for Elyite
Elyite
Named for John Ely, a promoter of an early mining company from Nevada, USA and frontiersman. Elyite is an uncommon mineral that forms in oxidized portions of base metal sulfides as well as in dumps and slags. It can be found in localities in the United States, Germany, Japan, Namibia, England, Scotland, Wales, and others. Minerals associated with Elyite include galena, langite, serpierite, cerussite, anglesite, lithargite, and minium.
Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/elyite.pdf
- Formula
- CuPb4O2SO4(OH)4·H2O
- Crystal System
- Monoclinic
- Crystal Habit
- Granular
- Cleavage
- Good, None, None
- Luster
- Silky
- Color
- violet, lavender
- Streak
- white
- Class
- Monoclinic - Prismatic
- Fracture
- Sectile
- Hardness
- 2
- WebMineral
- View Elyite
- Mindat
- View Elyite
Elyite from Silverhütte mine, Altenau, Harz Mountains, Saxony, Germany
Beautiful fibrous looking purple micro crystals to about 0.4mm.
Elyite from Lautenthal, Harz Mts, Lower Saxony, Germany
Light-purple micro-bladed Elyite crystals filling a small 4x1mm vug in highly magnetic slag matrix.
Elyite from Le Crozet, La Pacaudière, Loire, Rhône-Alpes, France
Elyite is perhaps one of the most gorgeous minerals Mother Nature has created. Well, actually, with the help of man. This specimen is obviously a slag piece with vesicles filled with purple sprays.
