turquoise

Also known as chalchit

Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium, with the chemical formula . It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gemstone for millennia due to its hue.

AI overview

Turquoise is a blue-to-green mineral that forms from copper and aluminium, prized for thousands of years as a gemstone because of its attractive color. It is rare and particularly valuable in its finest forms, making it a sought-after stone for jewelry and decorative use.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Mineral.name: Turquoise
Mineral.category: Phosphate minerals
Mineral.boxbgcolor: 00CED1
Mineral.image: Turquoise-40031.jpg
Mineral.IMAsymbol: Tqu
Mineral.strunz: 8.DD.15
Mineral.system: Triclinic
Mineral.class: Pinacoidal () (same H–M symbol)
Mineral.colour: Turquoise, blue, blue-green, green
Mineral.habit: Massive, nodular
Mineral.cleavage: Perfect on {001}, good on {010}, but cleavage rarely seen
Mineral.fracture: Conchoidal
Mineral.mohs: 5–6
Mineral.luster: Waxy to subvitreous
Mineral.refractive: nα = 1.610nβ = 1.615nγ = 1.650
Mineral.opticalprop: Biaxial (+)
Mineral.birefringence: +0.040
Mineral.pleochroism: Weak

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Image: Turquoise with quartz.jpg

Show 6 more facts

Commons category: Turquoise (mineral)
Nickel-Strunz 9th edition (updated 2009): 8.DD.15
Nickel-Strunz '10th ed', review of (9th ed/ 2009 update): 8.DD.15
IMA Mineral Symbol: Tqu
chemical formula: CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O
Strunz 8th edition (series ID, updated): VII/D.08

Sources (5)

via Wikidata · CC0

~35 min read

Article

24 sections

Contents

Names
History
Properties
Formation
Occurrence
Iran
Sinai
United States
Other sources
History of use
Cultural associations
Imitations
Treatments
Waxing and oiling
Backing
Zachery treatment
Dyeing
Stabilization
Reconstitution
Valuation and care
See also
References
Further reading
External links

{{Infobox mineral | name = Turquoise | category = Phosphate minerals | boxwidth = | boxbgcolor =#00CED1 | image = Turquoise-40031.jpg | caption = | formula = | IMAsymbol = Tqu | strunz = 8.DD.15 | system = Triclinic | class = Pinacoidal () (same H–M symbol) | colour = Turquoise, blue, blue-green, green | habit = Massive, nodular | twinning = | cleavage = Perfect on {001}, good on {010}, but cleavage rarely seen | fracture = Conchoidal | mohs = 5–6 | luster = Waxy to subvitreous | refractive = nα = 1.610nβ = 1.615nγ = 1.650 | opticalprop = Biaxial (+) | birefringence = +0.040 | pleochroism = Weak | streak = Bluish white | gravity = 2.6–2.9 | melt = | fusibility = Fusible in heated HCl | diagnostic = | solubility = Soluble in HCl | diaphaneity = Opaque | references = }}