Mineralpedia Details for Rosasite
Rosasite
Named for the type locality at the Rosas mine in Sardinia, Italy. Few worldwide localities including, additionally, England, Namibia, the USA, and Mexico and can be found in small amounts in other locations. Rosasite is an uncommon mineral that forms in the secondary oxidized zone of copper-zonc deposits that have formed by zinc solutions reacting with copper minerals. Rosasite may also be of post-mine origin.
Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/rosasite.pdf
- Formula
- CuZnCO3(OH)2
- Crystal System
- Monoclinic
- Crystal Habit
- Spherical, Mammillary, Encrustations
- Cleavage
- Perfect, Perfect, None
- Luster
- Vitreous - Silky
- Color
- blue green, light blue, sky blue
- Streak
- light blue
- Class
- Monoclinic - Prismatic
- Fracture
- Splintery
- Hardness
- 4
- WebMineral
- View Rosasite
- Mindat
- View Rosasite
Rosasite from 79 mine, Gila Co., Arizona, United States
Blue spherules to 1mm on nice green rhombic crystals of Smithsonite.
Rosasite from Silver Coin mine, Humboldt Co., Nevada, United States
Bluish green shperoidal crystals to 0.8mm.
Rosasite from Mina Ojuela, Mapimi, Durango, Mexico
Greenish blue spherical groups composed of acicular crystals less than 1mm associated with clear discoidal Calcite. And also 5-6mm Rosasite "balls" composed of bluish green acicular crystals.
Rosasite from Alhambra Hills, Eureka Co., Nevada, United States
Light bluish green spherulitic crystals of Rosasite to 1mm with colorless Hemimorphite. Note: this is an undocumented locality.
Rosasite from Christmas mine, Gila Co., Arizona, United States
Bluish green balls of Rosasite to 2mm with good coverage. Rosasite is uncommon at Christmas.
Rosasite from Chief mine, Empire dist., Pima Co., Arizona, United States
Micro blue spheroidal crystals to 0.75mm.
