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Turquoise

Year of discovery: Prehistoric (World), 1987 (Japan)

Locality list: 2 localities of turquoise

• CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈,4H₂O
• Cu(Al,Fe)₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈,4H₂O
• [Cu²⁺][Al³⁺₆][(OH)₈|(PO₄)₄]^20-,4H₂O

• Class: Turquoise group
• Class: Phosphate - Hydroxide - Hydrate
• Soluble in: HCl (Difficult)
• Substitution pseudomorph: Replace Orthoclase, Hydroxylapatite

• Cu => H2: Planerite (Series)
• Cu => Zn: Faustite
• Cu => Fe: Aheylite

• Al => Fe: Chalcosiderite (Series)

• Color: Blue, green
• Streak: Pale bluish green
• Luster: Vitreous
• Diaphaneity: Transparent-Opaque

• Habit: Pyramidal

• Cleavage: Perfect on {001} (1 plane), Good on {010} (1 plane)
• Hardness: 5-6
• Density: 2.7

• System: Triclinic
• Group: (-1), P(-1)
• Lattice: a=7.4, b=7.6, c=9.9, α=111.4, β=115.0, γ=69.5

Etymology: Turque who introduced this mineral to Europe.