Chrysocolla

Chrysocolla, the gemstone which provides unique color, blue-green, in the mineral world. It is, in fact, an appropriate mineraloid than a true mineral. Mostly, it is amorphous, not having a coherent crystalline structure.

Chrysocolla in its pure form is soft and fragile and therefore not suitable for use in jewelry. It is "agatized" in chalcedony quartz and this quartz provides the stone its durability. Druzy Chrysocolla rock is an example of agatized chysocolla with a crust of tiny sparkling quartz crystals in small cavities.

These, colored swirls of chrysocolla and sparkles of druzy quartz, if undergoes the talent of skilled craftsman, can be produced into a lovely and valuable piece of jewelry. Chrysocolla can sometime also have a turquoise color which makes it the substitute for many precious stones.

Chrysocolla is very light. It is found in Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Pennsylvania, USA; Israel; Zaire and England. It has a variable hardness from 2 to 4.

Techinical Specification

Name	Moh's	Specific Gravity	Structure	Cleavage	Refractive Index	Double	Disp.	Pleochro	Fluorescence
Chrysocolla	2-5.5	2.00-2.40	Amorphous	None	About 1.50	None	None	Weak	None