Bright blue crystalline papagoite crust with conichalcite , from Ajo , Arizona . Photograph taken at the Natural History Museum , London . — Photo: Aram Dulyan ( User:Aramgutang ) · Public domain
Papagoite
A rare sky-blue calcium-copper-aluminium cyclosilicate from Arizona — microscopic crystals on slip surfaces.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Papagoite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the silicate class, with the chemical formula CaCuAlSi₂O₆(OH)₃.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group C2/m).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 5–5.5; specific gravity 3.25; Vitreous luster; refractive index 1.64; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Pap, IMA status: approved, named in 1960.
Found in narrow veinlets in altered granodiorite porphyry (Ajo, Arizona, USA); included in quartz crystals (Messina, South Africa).
It is found associated with Aurichalcite, shattuckite, a joite, barite (Ajo, Arizona, USA): quartz, a joite (Messina, South Africa).
The name refers to the Tohono O'odam (formerly Papago) Indians who inhabit the region around Ajo, Arizona, USA.