THE MINERAL SHATTUCKITE

  • Chemistry: Cu5(SiO3)4(OH)2, Copper Silicate Hydroxide
  • Class: Silicates
  • Subclass: Inosilicates
  • Uses: A very minor ore of copper and as an ornamental stone.
  • Specimens

Shattuckite is a relatively rare copper silicate mineral. It was first discovered in the copper mines of Bisbee, Arizona, specifically the Shattuck Mine (hence the name). It is a secondary mineral that forms from the alteration of other secondary minerals. At the Shattuck Mine, it forms pseudomorphs after malachite. A pseudomorph is an atom by atom replacement of a crystal structure by another crystal structure, but with little alteration of the outward shape of the original crystal. Pseudomorph is Greek for "false shape".

Shattuckite, like other copper minerals especially secondary copper minerals, has a very attractive color and is used as an ornamental stone when found massive. Shattuckite's beautiful blue color is its best asset. It can take a good polished and makes nice cabochons, carvings or simple polished stones. Aggregates of shattuckite are also attractive when found as spherules or sprays of deep blue acicular radial crystal clusters. Shattuckite is also found with other rare and/or attractive secondary minerals such alamosite, azurite, "bisbeeite" ( a variety of chrysocolla), luddenite, fornacite , cerussite, malachite, limonite and standard chrysocolla.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Color is a unique deep blue.
  • Luster is dull to vitreous.
  • Transparency specimens are translucent to opaque.
  • Crystal System is orthorhombic.
  • Growth Habits include acicular to thin prismatic crystals often found as spherules or sprays of acicular radial crystal clusters. Other habits include massive, fibrous and compact. Also found as pseudomorphs of other secondary minerals such as malachite.
  • Cleavage is perfect in two directions.
  • Fracture is uneven.
  • Hardness is 3.5.
  • Specific Gravity is approximately 4.1 (rather heavy for a non-metallic mineral)
  • Streak is blue.
  • Associated Minerals are quartz, gold, limonite, azurite, malachite, alamosite, azurite, "bisbeeite" ( a variety of chrysocolla), luddenite, fornacite , cerussite, chrysocolla and other secondary copper minerals.
  • Notable Occurrences are limited to the Shattuck Mine (hence the name), Bisbee, Arizona, USA and a few other secondary copper deposits.
  • Best Field Indicators are color, crystal habit, density, locality and associations.
SHATTUCKITE specimens:
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SHATTUCKITE specimen sha-1
$ 49.00
Dims: 2.0 x 1.5 x 1.0" (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.6 cm)
Wt: 1.9 oz. (54 g)
New Cornelia Mine, Ajo, Pima County, Arizona, U.S.A.
Several patches of tiny Shattuckite crystals rest in veins that run through the pink-brown host rock of this specimen. These crystals do not exceed 1 mm in length and are too fine to effectively study even under a loupe. They have a beautiful, sky-blue color and a dull silky luster. There are also some patches of massive Shattuckite in the veins, but these veins are made up mostly of other secondary copper minerals such as chrysocolla (var. bisbeeite) and ajoite (named after the area in which this locality resides). Most of this other material is massive, but some of it is in the form of fibrous crystals similar in size to the Shattuckite.
no photo
sha-1 ($ 49.00)
New Cornelia Mine, Ajo, Pima County, Arizona, U.S.A.
SHATTUCKITE specimen sha-2
$ 40.00
Dims: 3.4 x 2.1 x 1.4" (8.5 x 5.4 x 3.5 cm)
Wt: 6.0 oz. (170 g)
New Cornelia Mine, Ajo, Pima County, Arizona, U.S.A.
Several small patches of fibrous Shattuckite rest on the brown siliceous base of this cabinet specimen. The Shattuckite shows some fibrous, radial habit and a moderately deep blue color, but most of the patches are badly crushed or decayed, showing a paler blue. All have a dull luster. Surrounding the Shattuckite are larger patches of massive bisbeeite (a variety of chrysocolla) and ajoite. I cannot tell these two minerals from each other on this specimen, however.
no photo
sha-2 ($ 40.00)
New Cornelia Mine, Ajo, Pima County, Arizona, U.S.A.
SHATTUCKITE specimen sha-3
$ 50.00
Dims:3.5x2.9x1.8" (8.9x7.4x4.6 cm)
Wt: 10.6oz. (300g)
New Cornelie Mine, Ajo, Pima cty., Arizona
This specimen consists of fibrous, pale blue shattuckite crystals resting on a matrix with numerous bluish-green ajoite crystals. All of these crystals are tiny, and a loupe is necessary to study them. I cannot be sure, but there appears to be some minor chrysocolla on this specimen as well. There is no damage to this piece.
no photo
sha-3 ($ 50.00)
New Cornelie Mine, Ajo, Pima cty., Arizona
SHATTUCKITE specimen sha-4
$ 40.00
Dims: 3.41x2.01x1.78" (8.66x5.10x4.52cm)
Wt: 4.90oz (139g)
New Cornelia Mine, Ajo, Pima County, Arizona, USA
While this piece may contain more blue-green ajoite than sky-blue shattuckite, the shattuckite shows much better crystallization, apparently having formed on top of the ajoite in cavities within the host rock. The shattuckite has a radial growth pattern of acicular crystals, and a loupe shows that the natural crystal ends (undamaged surfaces) have a relatively deep blue, while the sides of the sprays appear much lighter blue in color.
no photo
sha-4 ($ 40.00)
New Cornelia Mine, Ajo, Pima County, Arizona, USA

 


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