Copiapite
Mineral Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2·20H2O
Take care.
- Damaged by water: Keep it dry: don't wash it, and keep it out of damp places.
- Breaks down in damp air: Keep it dry and in steady humidity; some crumble or rot as they take on moisture.
About it
Sulfur-yellow crusts and scaly aggregates formed as iron sulfides oxidize, common on old mine dumps and in the dry deposits of Chile. Named for Copiapó, Chile; soluble in water.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Sulfate, copiapite group
- Formula
- Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2·20H2O
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 2.5–3
- Specific gravity
- 2.08–2.17
- Streak
- pale yellow
- Lustre
- pearly, vitreous (glassy)
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Colours
- yellow, golden yellow, orange-yellow, greenish yellow
- Transparency
- transparent, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect in one direction
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.