Aurichalcite Mineral Specimen, Bisbee Arizona

Auricalcite is a basic carbonate of zinc and copper (20.8% CuO, 53.2% ZnO, 16.1% C02, 9.9% H2O). The color is usually an attractive grass green to pale green. But can vary from white to green to greenish blue to light blue. These soft, pale blue-green scales, which dissolve so easily in acid, are unlike those of any other mineral. Aurichalcite at times partially covers red limonite and is associated with such colorful minerals as azurite, smithsonite, malachite and hemimorphite. Aurichalcite can be confused with Rosasite, (Cu, Zn)2CO3(OH)2. Rosasite is usually more massive but not lamellar and Rosasite crystals are harder than aurichalcite. This is an old specimen from the Southwest Mine Bisbee, Arizona. This specimen has a few little optical calcites on the bottom/