Christelite Locality: San Francisco Mine (Beatrix Mine), Caracoles , Sierra Gorda District, Tocopilla Province , Antofagasta Region , Chile ( Locality at mindat.org ) Lustrous, bright-blue bladed christelite crystals to 3 mm richly cover the matrix from the worlds ONLY locality for this ultra-rare zinc, copper sulfate, the San Francisco Mine in Chile. This is a new species described in 1996. The find was very limited! 3.2 x 2.8 x 2.0 cm — Photo: Robert M. Lavinsky · CC BY-SA 3.0
Christelite
Christelite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the sulfate class, with the chemical formula Zn₃Cu₂(SO₄)₂(OH)₆·4H₂O.
It crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system (space group P-1). It is a member of the Ktenasite structural group.
Key properties: specific gravity 3.14; Bright greenish blue streak; Vitreous luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Cis, IMA status: approved, named in 1995.
Found as a secondary mineral in the oxidized portions of a Cu–Zn sulfide deposit.
It is found associated with Zincian paratacamite, anglesite, hemimorphite, gordaite, quartz.
The mineral was named to honor Christel Gebhard-Giesen (1950–), German mineral collector.