Turquoise specimen

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Turquoise

Phosphates

Specimen Details

  • Hardness (Mohs): 5–6
  • Chemical Formula: CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8·4H2O
  • Crystal System: Triclinic
  • Size: Specimen size varies; record the piece, not the species

Turquoise is a hydrated copper aluminum phosphate. The blue is from copper; iron shifts it toward green. It is porous and often stabilized for jewelry. Hardness is only about 5 to 6.

This page is only for Turquoise. Comments below are for this material.

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