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Formula: Cu6[Te6+O4(OH)2](OH)7Cl
Tellurate
Crystal System: Trigonal
Specific gravity: 4.886 calculated
Hardness: 1
Streak: Pale greenish blue
Colour: Greenish blue, sky-blue to medium greenish
Luminescence: Not fluorescent under UV
Common impurities: Pb
Environments
Mojaveite is a relatively new mineral, approved in 2013. It is formed by decomposition of
primary hessite
and chalcopyrite under mildly acidic conditions
(HOM).
Localities
There are three co-type localities, the Aga Mine, Otto Mountain, Baker, Soda Mountains, Silver Lake Mining District,
the Bird Nest drift, Otto Mountain, Baker, Soda Mountains, Silver Lake Mining District, and the Blue Bell Mine, Zzyzx,
Soda Mountains, Silver Lake Mining District, all in San Bernardino county, California, USA.
At the Aga Mine, Otto Mountain, Baker, Soda Mountains, Silver Lake Mining District, San Bernardino County,
California, USA, mojaveite has been found with with cerussite,
chrysocolla, khinite,
perite and quartz.
Mojaveite occurs as irregular aggregates of greenish-blue plates, which rarely show a hexagonal outline, and
also occurs as compact balls, from sky blue to medium greenish blue in colour. Aggregates and balls are up to 0.5 mm
in size
(MM 78.1325-1340).
Mojaveite from the Aga Mine - Image
At the Bird Nest drift, Otto Mountain, Baker, Soda Mountains, Silver Lake Mining District, San Bernardino County,
California, USA, mojaveite is associated with andradite,
chrysocolla, cerussite,
burckhardtite, galena,
goethite, khinite,
mcalpineite, thorneite,
timroseite, paratimroseite,
quartz and
wulfenite
(MM 78.1325-1340).
Mojaveite from the Bird Nest Drift -
Image
At the Blue Bell Mine, Zzyzx, Soda Mountains, Silver Lake Mining District, San Bernardino County, California, USA,
mojaveite occurs in direct association with cerussite,
chlorargyrite, chrysocolla,
hemimorphite, kettnerite,
perite, quartz and
wulfenite
(MM 78.1325-1340).
Mojaveite from the Blue Bell Mine -
Image
At the Upper dumps, North Star Mine, Mammoth, Tintic Mining District, Juab County, Utah, USA, mojaveite has
been discovered occurring with other tellurium species. A specimen has
been analysed that consists of two dark blue-green spheres of mojaveite on yellow
leisingite plates and quartz
matrix. The spheres are around 100 microns in diameter
(MinRec 55.2.215).
Mojaveite from the Upper Dumps - Image
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