Boleite was to start with learned in Boleo, Mexico in 1891, in a very area on the Baja peninsula that is now well-known for rare minerals. Boleite is such an unconventional and complicated mineral the definition of its chemical composition and crystal structure have been through many revisions due to the fact its 1st discovery.
The initial specimens of boleite were found out by Eduoard Cumenge, a French mining engineer. A different unusual halide mineral from your same locale, with the same structure and a rather diverse chemical composition, was named cumengite in honor of Cumenge.
There are various characteristics of boleite that make it of particular fascination to collectors. For one thing, it's got an uncommon chemical composition, being a hydrated direct copper silver chloride hydroxide. It consists of sizeable quantities of such metals, with about forty nine% lead, fourteen% copper and 9% silver. Secondly, it's got an interesting crystal structure, due to the fact boleite is always pseudocubically twinned. That may be, Every single cube-like crystal of boleite is in fact composed of 3 rectangular box-like crystals oriented at ΧÏυσά right angles to one another. Boleite also has a really appealing indigo coloration and several pretty unusual transparent crystals are already cut as gemstones.
Boleite in MatrixBoleite in Matrix
Like other halide minerals, for instance fluorite, boleite is very tender, having a Mohs hardness ranking of only 3 to 3.five. It has a vitreous to pearly luster. It can be an unusually dense mineral, with a specific gravity of five.05. Only some minerals, including hematite and cassiterite, Δαχτυλιδια bulgari have the next density. Boleite's refractive index can also be incredibly higher at two.03-two.05; larger than sapphire, sphene and demantoid garnet.
In combination with cumengite, there are a number of other minerals connected to boleite, such as pseudoboleite, chloroxiphite, Δαχτυλιδια ΜοντεÏνα paralaurionite, matlockite, chlorargyrite, bideauxite, atacamite, mendipite and diaboleite.
Besides the deposit in Baja, Δαχτυλιδια bulgari Mexico, boleite continues to be present in Damaged Hill in New South Wales, Australia; in the Mammoth District of ΛευκόχÏυσα Arizona in America; and within the Mendip Hills of Somerset, England.
