Antlerite
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| Antlerite | |
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| General | |
| Category | Mineral |
| Chemical formula | Copper sulphate hydroxide, Cu3(SO4)(OH)4 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Bright green, through darker greens to black |
| Crystal habit | tabular and acicular or fibrous. Also found as reniform, massive or granular specimens |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic bipyramidal |
| Cleavage | Unidirectional |
| Fracture | Uneven |
| Mohs Scale hardness | 3.5 |
| Refractive index | 1.72-1.78 |
| Pleochroism | x: yellowish green y: bluish green z: bluish green |
| Streak | Pale green |
| Specific gravity | ~3.9 |
Antlerite is a greenish hydrous copper sulphate mineral, with the formula Cu3(SO4)(OH)4. It occurs in tabular, acicular, or fibrous crystals with a vitreous luster. Originally believed to be a rare mineral, antlerite was found to be the primary ore of the oxidised zones in several copper mines across the world, including the Chuquicamata mine in Chile, and the Antler mine in Arizona, USA from which it takes its name. It is chemically and optically similar in many respects to other copper minerals such as malachite and brochantite, though it can be distinguished from the former by a lack of effervescence in hydrochloric acid.
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