A close up
view of the above specimen.
CHEMISTRY - CaCuAlSi2O6(OH)3
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY - Monoclinic
CRYSTAL GROWTH AND HABITS - Small equant crystals, also as sheets or rings of radiating aggregates or in veinlets.
COLOR AND OTHER OPTICAL PROPERTIES - Blue; transparent to translucent.
HARDNESS - 5 - 5.5
SPECIFIC GRAVITY - 3.25
LUSTER - Vitreous
STREAK - Light blue
BREAKABILITY - Good on {100} but only observed microscopically.
OCCURRENCE - In narrow veinlets in an altered copper bearing porphyritic granodiorite.
ASSOCIATED MINERALS - Aurichalcite, Shattuckite, Ajoite, Barite, Quartz.
MINERAL NAME - Named after the Papago Indians who inhabited the area around Ajo, Arizona