libethenite
Libethenite is a rare copper phosphate hydroxide mineral. It forms striking, dark green orthorhombic crystals. It was discovered in 1823 in Ľubietová, Slovakia and is named after the German name of that locality (Libethen). Libethenite has also been found in the Miguel Vacas Mine, Conceição, Vila Viçosa, Évora District, Portugal, and in Tier des Carrières, Cahai, Vielsaim, Stavelot Massif, Luxembourg Province, Belgium.
Key facts
- Mineral.name
- Libethenite
- Mineral.category
- Phosphate minerals
- Mineral.image
- Libethenite-tuc1033a.jpg
- Mineral.imagesize
- 260px
- Mineral.formula
- Cu2PO4OH
- Mineral.IMAsymbol
- Lib
- Mineral.strunz
- 8.BB.30
- Mineral.system
- Orthorhombic
- Mineral.class
- Dipyramidal (mmm) H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
- Mineral.symmetry
- Pnnm
- Mineral.color
- Light to dark green, blackish green, olive-green
- Mineral.habit
- Globular, druzy, slender prismatic
Article
3 sectionsContents
- Appearance
- Formation
- References
Libethenite is a rare copper phosphate hydroxide mineral. It forms striking, dark green orthorhombic crystals. It was discovered in 1823 in Ľubietová, Slovakia and is named after the German name of that locality (Libethen). Libethenite has also been found in the Miguel Vacas Mine, Conceição, Vila Viçosa, Évora District, Portugal, and in Tier des Carrières, Cahai, Vielsaim, Stavelot Massif, Luxembourg Province, Belgium.
== Appearance == thumb|left|Detail of gemmy, emerald-green, orthorhombic libethenite microcrystals on malachite, from the type locality, [[Ľubietová, Slovakia. See :File:Libethenite-258236.jpg for the full specimen.]] Libethenite almost always takes the form of dark-green orthorhombic crystals. It is often found in clusters with other libethenite crystals.