Copiapite

specimen number:
2262377

location:
Atacama, Chile

description:
Crystalline copiapite on matrix. Good rich example for the species.

Copiapite is a hydrous iron sulfate mineral with a bright yellow to orange-yellow color, typically forming as earthy crusts, powdery masses, or microscopic tabular crystal aggregates. It usually forms as a secondary mineral resulting from the oxidation of iron sulfide minerals like pyrite or marcasite, frequently found in acid mine drainage environments, weathering ore dumps, and arid regions where sulfide oxidation occurs. Named after the Copiapo region in Chile where it was first studied, it is an important sulfate indicator in geochemical environments.

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