Shattuckite

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title: "Shattuckite" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["copper(ii)-minerals", "inosilicates", "orthorhombic-minerals", "minerals-in-space-group-61", "gemstones"] description: "Copper silicate hydroxide mineral" topic_path: "general/copper-ii-minerals" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shattuckite" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Copper silicate hydroxide mineral ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox mineral"]

Field	Value
boxbgcolor	#52b5c4
name	Shattuckite
category	Inosilicate
image	Shattuckite-rosa20d.jpg
imagesize	260px
strunz	9.DB.40
formula	Cu5(SiO3)4(OH)2
IMAsymbol	Sha
system	Orthorhombic
class	Dipyramidal (mmm)
H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
symmetry	Pcab
color	Dark and light blue, turquoise
habit	Commonly spherulitic aggregates of acicular crystals
cleavage	perfect along [010] and [100]
fracture	uneven
mohs	3.5
luster	Dull to silky
refractive	nα = 1.753, nβ = 1.782, nγ = 1.815
opticalprop	Biaxial (+)
pleochroism	X = very pale blue; Y = pale blue; Z = deep blue
streak	Blue
gravity	4.1 (rather heavy for a non-metallic mineral)
diaphaneity	Translucent to opaque
references
::

| boxbgcolor = #52b5c4 | name = Shattuckite | category = Inosilicate | image = Shattuckite-rosa20d.jpg | imagesize = 260px | caption = | strunz = 9.DB.40 | formula = Cu5(SiO3)4(OH)2 | IMAsymbol = Sha | molweight = | system = Orthorhombic | class = Dipyramidal (mmm) H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m) | symmetry = Pcab | color = Dark and light blue, turquoise | habit = Commonly spherulitic aggregates of acicular crystals | twinning = | cleavage = perfect along [010] and [100] | fracture = uneven | mohs = 3.5 | luster = Dull to silky | refractive = nα = 1.753, nβ = 1.782, nγ = 1.815 | opticalprop = Biaxial (+) | birefringence = | pleochroism = X = very pale blue; Y = pale blue; Z = deep blue | streak = Blue | gravity = 4.1 (rather heavy for a non-metallic mineral) | melt = | fusibility = | diagnostic = | solubility = | diaphaneity = Translucent to opaque | other = | references = Shattuckite is a copper silicate hydroxide mineral with formula Cu5(SiO3)4(OH)2. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic – dipyramidal crystal system and usually occurs in a granular massive form and also as fibrous acicular crystals. It is closely allied to plancheite in structure and appearance.

Shattuckite is a relatively rare copper silicate mineral. It was first discovered in 1915 in the copper mines of Bisbee, Arizona, specifically the Shattuck Mine (hence the name). It is a secondary mineral that forms from the alteration of other secondary minerals. At the Shattuck Mine, it forms pseudomorphs after malachite. A pseudomorph is an atom by atom replacement of a crystal structure by another crystal structure, but with little alteration of the outward shape of the original crystal. It is sometimes used as a gemstone.

Gallery

File:Malachite-Shattuckite-215586.jpg|Shattuckite with malachite, about 4 cm wide. Kaokoveld Mine, Namibia File:Shattuckite-tuc1072a.jpg|Shattuckite crystals form concentric circular clusters of spraying, elongated, acicular crystals. Associated with them are small bits of contrasting primary malachite crystals in a deep green color File:Shattuckite-k-123a.jpg|Botryoidal balls of shattuckite, from the Kaokoveld Mine, Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene Region, Namibia File:Shattuckite-47277.jpg|Polished shattuckite with malachite, New Cornelia mine, Ajo, Arizona. Size 5.3 × 5.1 × 5.0 cm

References

References

1. Warr, L.N.. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine.
2. [http://webmineral.com/data/Shattuckite.shtml Shattuckite]. Webmineral.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-10.
3. [http://www.mindat.org/min-3634.html Shattuckite]. Mindat.org (2011-09-08). Retrieved on 2011-10-10.
4. [http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/shattuckite.pdf Shattuckite]. Handbook of Mineralogy. (PDF) . Retrieved on 2011-10-10.
5. "Shattuckite: The blue mineral shattuckite information and pictures".

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