Image: Andrew Silver (Public domain)
cubicuncommonOxides
Cuprite
Cu₂O
This specimen displays a vibrant orange-red to deep red color, characteristic of cuprite, with a submetallic to adamantine luster. It appears as a dense, massive aggregate, possibly with some crystalline forms, and is shown with a pen for scale.
Cuprite Physical Properties
Mohs Hardness
3.5Crystal System
cubicLuster
adamantineStreak Color
reddish brownCleavage
poor/indistinct on {111}Fracture
conchoidalSpecific Gravity
6.1Colors
red, orange-red, brownish-red, purplish-redTransparency
translucentType Locality
Bisbee, Arizona, USAMineral Group
OxidesUses
minor ore of copper, collector's mineralAssociated Minerals
native copper, malachite, azurite, chrysocolla, tenorite, limoniteRarity
uncommonGeological Context
Cuprite is a secondary mineral that forms in the oxidized zone of copper sulfide deposits, typically found above the water table where primary copper minerals have been altered by weathering processes.
