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www.mineralgallery.co.za Minerals P-T |
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Name
Rosasite
Chemistry
(Cu, Zn)2CO3(OH)2 , Copper Zinc Carbonate Hydroxide
Uses
Minor ore of zinc and copper and as a mineral specimen
Color
Blue to green
Hardness
4
Specific gravity
4.1
Crystals
It usually forms radiating tufts of fibrous crystals or is found as crusts and botryoidal masses or nodules.
Accompanied by:
Smithsonite, hemimorphite, malachite, aurichalcite and calcite.
Similar to:
Aurichalcite
Rosasite forms in the oxidation zones of zinc-copper deposits.
It typically is found as crusts and botryoidal masses or nodules.
Crystals are fibrous and found in tufted aggregates. The color is an attractive bluish green. Rosasite crystals are harder than aurichalcite; 4 versus 1 - 2 respectively.
Rosasite is associated with red limonite and other such colorful minerals as aurichalcite, smithsonite and hemimorphite. Nodules of rosasite certainly add color to what are termed "landscape" specimens.
Rosasite can be confused with Aurichalcite, (Zn, Cu)5 (CO 3 )2(OH)6 . However rosasite is usually more massive but not lamellar..