Mineralpedia Details for Plancheite
Plancheite
Named after a Mr. Planche who provided the original samples for study. A rare mineral, Plancheite can be found in the Congo Republic, the Democratic republic of Congo, Namibia, England, the United States, Japan, and Argentina, among a couple others, as a secondary mineral in oxidized copper deposits. Plancheite is found associated with chrysocolla, dioptase, mamachite, conichalcite, and tenorite.
Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/plancheite.pdf
- Formula
- Cu8(Si4O11)2(OH)4·H2O
- Crystal System
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal Habit
- Fibrous, Radial, Acicular
- Luster
- Adamantine - Silky
- Color
- blue, greenish blue
- Streak
- light blue
- Class
- Orthorhombic - Dipyramidal
- Fracture
- Unknown
- Hardness
- 5.5
- WebMineral
- View Plancheite
- Mindat
- View Plancheite
Plancheite from Eagle Eye mine, La Paz Co., Arizona, United States
Beautiful sky blue sprays to 1mm in vug of Chrysocola matrix.
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Plancheite from Kamoya, Kambove dist., Haut-Katanga, DR Congo
Compact, fibrous Plnacheite with minor Dioptase(?).
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