Cornubite

Cornubite is a rare secondary copper arsenate mineral with formula: Cu5(AsO4)2(OH)4. It was first described for its discovery in 1958 in Wheal Carpenter, Gwinear, Cornwall, England, UK. The name is from Cornubia, the medieval Latin name for Cornwall. It is a dimorph of cornwallite, and the arsenic analogue of pseudomalachite.

Cornubite
Cornubite from Majuba Hill, Nevada, US. Specimen size 5 cm
General
CategoryArsenate minerals
Formula
(repeating unit)
Cu5(AsO4)2(OH)4
Strunz classification8.BD.30
Dana classification41.04.02.01
Crystal systemTriclinic
Crystal classPinacoidal (1)
(same H-M symbol)
Space groupP1
Identification
ColorLight or dark green
Crystal habitFibrous, botryoidal, globular or massive, also rare tabular crystals
CleavageDistinct in two directions
Mohs scale hardness4
LusterVitreous
StreakLight green
DiaphaneityTranslucent to transparent
Specific gravity4.64
Optical propertiesBiaxial (−)
Refractive indexNα = 1.87, Nβ not determined, Nγ = 1.90
Birefringencer>v
Other characteristicsNot radioactive
References
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