Cornetite

specimen number:
2354185

location:
Mantoruso Pit, Mantoverde, El Salado, Chanaral, Atacama, Chile

description:
Deep blue sparkling micro crystals of cornetite sparse across the top of matrix.

Located within the Mantoverde mining district near El Salado and Chanaral in the Atacama region of Chile, the Mantoruso Pit is part of a major iron-oxide-copper-gold system featuring extensive open-pit mining operations. The local geology consists of altered volcanic and intrusive host rocks subject to deep supergene oxidation, which facilitates the formation of diverse secondary mineral assemblages in fractures and cavities. Within these oxidized zones, rare copper phosphate mineralization occurs, most notably the mineral cornetite. Cornetite forms striking deep blue to emerald-green crystal aggregates and crusts, drawing interest from specialized mineral collectors who have occasionally sourced rare specimen material from the active industrial copper district.

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