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Formula: CaCuSi4O10
Phyllosilicate (sheet silicate), gillespite group
Crystal System: Tetragonal
Specific gravity: 3.08 measured, 3.09 calculated
Hardness: 5
Streak: Light blue
Colour: Blue
Common impurities: Al,Fe,Na,K,S
Environments
Cuprorivaite is an extremely rare mineral.
Localities
At Nickenicher Sattel, Nickenich, Pellenz, Mayen-Koblenz District, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, cuprorivaite
was found in a mudstone xenolith ejected from a scoria cone, associated
with quartz
(HOM).
At the type locality, Mount Vesuvius, Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Naples, Campania, Italy, cuprorivaite occurs
intimately mixed with quartz
(HOM).
At Musina, Musina Local Municipality, Vhembe District Municipality, Limpopo, South Africa, cuprorivaite was found
included in quartz. Papagoite and
ajoite are other blue minerals that also occur included in
quartz here, and may be mistaken for cuprorivaite.
All known specimens of cuprorivaite from the Musina mine originate from just one parent that was likely composed
of only 1 to 2 grams of cuprorivaite
(R&M 97.2.134-141).
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