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Formula: CuCl2.2H2O
Chloride
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 2.47 measured, 2.55 calculated
Hardness: 2½
Colour: Bluish green, greenish blue, yellowish tint at times
Solubility: Readily soluble in water to a pale blue solution and in NH4OH to an intense blue solution (Mindat)
Environments
Hydrothermal environments
Volcanic fumeroles
Localities
At the Queténa Mine, Toki Cu deposit, Chuquicamata District, Calama, El Loa Province, Antofagasta, Chile, eriochalcite
occurs as a product of weathering in a copper sulphide deposit in an arid climate. Associated minerals include
atacamite and bandylite
(HOM).
At the type locality, Mt Vesuvius, Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Naples, Campania, Italy, eriochalcite occurs as an
encrustation around active volcanic fumaroles. Associated minerals include
melanothallite, euchlorine,
chalcocyanite and dolerophanite
(HOM).
At the Great Fissure eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka Krai, Russia, eriochalcite is associated with
euchlorine, chalcocyanite,
dolerophanite, melanothallite,
tenorite and tolbachite
(HOM).
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