{"title":"Atacamite","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAtacamite\u003c\/strong\u003e is a copper chloride hydroxide, \u003cstrong\u003eCu2Cl(OH)3\u003c\/strong\u003e, prized by collectors for its vivid, saturated green color ranging from emerald to dark blackish-green, with distinct pleochroism and a slender, striated, often crystalline habit unlike the massive botryoidal form typical of its close relative \u003cstrong\u003emalachite\u003c\/strong\u003e. First described in 1802 from the \u003cstrong\u003eAtacama Desert\u003c\/strong\u003e of northern Chile, it takes its name directly from this hyper-arid region, where oxidizing conditions, abundant copper sulfide deposits, and chloride-rich saline brines combine to produce one of the world's classic secondary copper mineral suites. It forms as a supergene alteration product of primary sulfides such as \u003cstrong\u003echalcopyrite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ebornite\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003echalcocite\u003c\/strong\u003e, and is polymorphous with \u003cstrong\u003ebotallackite\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eclinoatacamite\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eparatacamite\u003c\/strong\u003e, all members of the wider \u003cstrong\u003eatacamite group\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe type locality remains the benchmark for the species: Chilean mines including \u003cstrong\u003eChuquicamata\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eRemolinos\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eLa Farola Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in the Atacama Region, \u003cstrong\u003eCarrizal\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eCopiapó\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003eTierra Amarilla\u003c\/strong\u003e have all yielded fine specimens, with atacamite historically serving as a significant copper ore at Chuquicamata itself. Outside Chile, the most exceptional crystals — some exceeding 20 cm — come from the \u003cstrong\u003eNew Cornwall Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e near Kadina, South Australia, alongside the nearby \u003cstrong\u003eWallaroo\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eMoonta\u003c\/strong\u003e ore fields, long famous among Australian mineral collectors. Other notable occurrences include the \u003cstrong\u003eClara Mine\u003c\/strong\u003e in the Black Forest, Germany, \u003cstrong\u003eMina Santa Bárbara\u003c\/strong\u003e in Almería, Spain, the \u003cstrong\u003eKamariza Mines\u003c\/strong\u003e of Lavrion, Greece, and deposits in Namibia and Peru, while atacamite is also documented as a weathering product of ancient bronze artifacts and as a sublimate around submarine black smokers and fumaroles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCollectors seek atacamite for its striking crystal aesthetics, its scientific value in illustrating polymorphism alongside clinoatacamite and botallackite, and its relative scarcity compared to more common secondary copper minerals like malachite and chrysocolla, with which it is often found intergrown or pseudomorphed. Sharp, lustrous, well-terminated crystals on matrix — particularly Chilean and Australian material — remain highly desirable in systematic and aesthetic mineral collections alike, valued both as striking display pieces and as textbook examples for teaching crystallography, geochemistry, and supergene copper mineralization.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"rb4-atacamite-cile-0","title":"ATACAMITE – Rare Green Rays with Halloysite \u0026 Pseudomalachite, Atacama, Chile","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking specimen of deep emerald-green Atacamite, its slender prismatic crystals radiating outward in dramatic circular \"sunburst\" sprays across the matrix. Pockets of soft white Halloysite and touches of pseudomalachite create an elegant color contrast that enhances both the aesthetic and mineralogical value of the piece. The crystal faces are well developed and lustrous, a hallmark of material from the classic La Farola Mine, one of the world's most celebrated Atacamite localities.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMineral Data:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 155 x 109 x 35 mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 410 g\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e La Farola Mine, Cerro Pintado, Las Pintadas, Tierra Amarilla, Copiapó Province, Atacama Region, Chile\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"ITALMINERAL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45457116725357,"sku":null,"price":189.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0693\/8027\/6333\/files\/IMG20260429193620.jpg?v=1784032688"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.italmineral.com\/collections\/atacamite.oembed","provider":"ITALMINERAL","version":"1.0","type":"link"}