Home > Mexico III Ojuela I – January 12 > MS1724 Austinite (cuprian) ex Scott Williams

Austinite (cuprian) ex Scott Williams - Sold


Austinite is a hydrous calcium zinc arsenate. The mineral has the same crystal structure as conichalcite, with which it forms a series. Staples (1935) named the species after Austin Flint Rogers (1877-1957), mineralogist at Stanford University. Like adamite, austinite is a so-called allochromatic mineral species, one without inherent color derived from its ideal chemistry. Substitution of copper for zinc readily imparts the dark green coloration evident in this example.

Austinite here forms curved crystals in tight sphericla aggragteaes covering a surface of limonite gossan matrix. A label from Scott J. Williams (1924-1977) accompanies the specimen. This label dates the specimen to 1955-1961.