Antlerite

Description

An uncommon mineral composed of dibasic copper sulfate. Antlerite is an emerald green to blackish-green color and is found in the oxidized zones of copper deposits of Arizona and Chile. It has also been identified as a corrosion product on outdoor bronze and copper sculpture. Though similar in color to Malachite and Brochantite, antlerite does not effervesce in contact with acid.

Synonyms and Related Terms

antlerita (Esp.); antierite (Port.); Antlerit (Deut.); antleriet (Ned.)

FTIR (MFA)

Raman

Physical and Chemical Properties

Crystal system = orthorhombic bipyramidal Cleavage = unidirectional Fracture = uneven Luster = vitreous Streak=pale green

Composition	Cu3(OH)4SO4
Mohs Hardness	3.5-4.0
Density	3.88 g/ml
Refractive Index	1.72-1.78

Resources and Citations

• Mindat.org: antlerite

• Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Douglas M. Considine (ed.), Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1976

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antlerite (Accessed Mar. 20, 2006)

• Thomas Gregory, The Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Reinhold Publishing, New York, 3rd ed., 1942

• Dictionary of Building Preservation, Ward Bucher, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, 1996