Blossite
An anhydrous copper vanadate named for mineralogist F. Donald Bloss of Virginia Tech.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Blossite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the oxides & hydroxide class, with the chemical formula Cu₂V⁵⁺₂O₇.
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system (space group Fdd2).
Key properties: specific gravity 3.95–3.97; Red-brown streak; Metallic luster; refractive index 2.05; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Blo, IMA status: approved, named in 1986.
A very rare sublimate, probably formed between 100–200 ° C, from the outer sulfate zone of a fumarole in the crater of a basaltic composite volcano.
It is found associated with Fingerite, stoiberite, mcbirneyite, ziesite.
The mineral was named to honor Dr. F. Donald Bloss (1920–), American mineralogist, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.