Home > Copper Minerals – January 21 > MS1504 Rouaite in Cuprite

Rouaite in Cuprite - Sold


Rouaite is a hydrous copper nitrate; it is water soluble. The mineral name recalls the type locality in the Roua mines, Alpes-Maritimes, France (Sarp et al., 2001). Rouaite occurs in isolated pockets in cuprite which protects it from circulating ground water.

In a 2018 discovery at Tenke Fungurume, pockets of exotic copper nitrates and oxides were found in massive cuprite. Material appeared at the Denver and Munich mineral shows. Rouaite here forms cleaved grains to 14 mm in a pocket in massive cuprite. Smaller crystals in the open cavity show crystal faces to 3 mm. Malachite is also present. Significant for the species.