Tlalocite Locality: Bambollita Mine (Oriental Mine), Moctezuma, Mun. de Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico Picture width 3 mm. Collection and photograph Christian Rewitzer This Photo was Mindat.org Photo of the Day - 6th Oct 2008 — Photo: Christian Rewitzer · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tlalocite
A cyan hydrated copper-zinc tellurate — named for the Aztec rain god Tlaloc for its water-rich structure.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Tlalocite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the halide class, with the chemical formula Cu₁₀Zn₆(Te⁴⁺O₃)(Te⁶⁺O₄)₂Cl(OH)₂₅·27H₂O.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 1; specific gravity 4.55; Very pale blue streak; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Tla, IMA status: approved, named in 1974.
Very rare in partially oxidized portions of a tellurium-bearing polymetallic hydrothermal sulfide vein.
It is found associated with Tenorite, azurite, malachite.
The name refers to Tlaloc, the Toltec and Aztec god of rain, in allusion to the high essential water content.