Aurichalcite

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Infobox mineral Aurichalcite is a carbonate mineral, usually found as a secondary mineral in copper and zinc deposits. Its chemical formula is Template:Chem2. The zinc to copper ratio is about 5:4.<ref name=Mindat/> Copper (Cu²⁺) gives aurichalcite its green-blue colors.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Occurrence

Aurichalcite typically occurs in the oxidized zone of copper and zinc deposits. Associated minerals include: rosasite, smithsonite, hemimorphite, hydrozincite, malachite and azurite.<ref name=Handbook/>

It was first described in 1839 by Bottger who named the mineral for its zinc and copper content after the Greek όρειχαλκος, for "mountain brass" or "mountain copper", the name of orichalcum, a fabulous metal, mentioned in the legend of the mythic lost continent Atlantis. The type locality is the Loktevskoye Mine, Upper Loktevka River, Template:Ill, Altai Krai, Western Siberia, Russia.<ref name=Mindat/>

Crystallography

Aurichalcite displays prismatic crystals often in the form of encrustations and sometimes columnar structures.<ref name="mindat">"Aurichalcite Mineral Data." https://www.mindat.org/min-422.html Accessed 18 February 2019.</ref> The crystal system is monoclinic.