SEM image of an andychristyite — Photo: Anthony R. Kampf · CC BY-SA 4.0
Andychristyite
A lead-copper tellurate from California's Soda Mountains, named for Welsh-Australian mineralogist Andrew Christy.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Andychristyite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the oxides & hydroxide class, with the chemical formula PbCu²⁺Te⁶⁺O₅(H₂O).
It crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system (space group P-1).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 2–3; specific gravity 6.304; Very pale bluish green streak; Adamantine luster.
IMA symbol Acs, IMA status: approved, named in 2015.
A secondary oxidation-zone mineral presumed to have produced through oxidation of primary sulfides and tellurides.
It is found associated with Quartz, timroseite.
The mineral was named to honor Andrew (Andy) Gregor Christy (b. 1963), a Welsh-Australian mineralogist, petrologist, geochemist and solid-state chemist.