Chrysocolla
Chrysocolla (hydrated copper silicate) is a mineral, CuSiO3 - nH2O. It is of secondary origin and forms in the oxidation zones of copper rich ore bodies. Associated minerals are quartz, limonite, azurite, malachite, cuprite and other secondary copper minerals.
Chrysocolla is attractive blue-green colour and is minor ore of copper. It is also used as an ornamental stone. Hardness: 2.5-3.5. It is typically found as glassy botryoidal or rounded masses and crusts, or seam fillings.
The name comes from the Greek chrysos - "gold" and kolla - "glue" in allusion to the name of the material used to solder gold, and was first used by Theophrastus in 315 B.C.
Notable occurrences include Isreal, Zaire, Chile, Cornwall in England, and Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Pennsylvania in the United States.
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