NAMUWITE

Namuwite des scories de Madonna di Fucinaia, Toscane, Italie © Gianandrea Ghirri

    Class : Sulfates, chromates, molybdates
    Subclass : Hydrated sulfates
    Crystal system : Trigonal
    Chemistry : (Zn,Cu)4SO4(OH)6 4H2O
    Rarity : Rare

Namuwite is a rare zinc and copper sulfate, of a beautiful pale greenish blue color which forms in the oxidation zone of zinc and copper deposits on hydrozincite, and sometimes on foundry slag where it is associated with adamite, smithsonite and malachite. Its name derives from the acronym for "National Museum of Wales" where the definition samples are kept. Namuwite occurs in rounded encrustations composed of tiny hexagonal lamellae of less than 60 µm.

Main photo : Namuwite from Madonna di Fucinaia slags, Tuscany, Italy © Gianandrea Ghirri

Namuwite in the World

Namuwite is known from around fifteen sites around the world. Among these, it is known in arroded incrustations on hydrozincite from the polymetallic deposit of Aberllyn (Wales) which provided aesthetic samples. It is also found on the Laurion slag, notably at the Hilarion mine (Greece).

Right photo : Namuwite from Cliff Mine, Ophir, Utah, USA © Alex Earl

Namuwite in France

Namuwite is not present in the French underground.

Twinning

No twins known for this mineral species.

Fakes and treatments

No fakes recorded for this mineral species.


Hardness : 2
Density : 2.77
Fracture : Undetermined
Streak : Light green

TP : Transparent
RI : -
Birefringence : -
Optical character : Uniaxial
Pleochroism : Low
Fluorescence : None

Solubility : -

Magnetism : NoneRadioactivity : None