Tenorite is a
copper oxide mineral
The oxide mineral class includes those minerals in which the oxide anion (O2−) is bonded to one or more metal alloys. The hydroxide-bearing minerals are typically included in the oxide class. The minerals with complex anion groups such as the si ...
with the chemical formula
CuO.
Occurrence
Tenorite occurs in the weathered or
oxidized zone associated with deeper primary
copper sulfide
Copper sulfides describe a family of chemical compounds and minerals with the formula CuxSy. Both minerals and synthetic materials comprise these compounds. Some copper sulfides are economically important ores.
Prominent copper sulfide minerals ...
orebodies. Tenorite commonly occurs with
chrysocolla
Chrysocolla ( ) is a hydrated copper phyllosilicate mineral and mineraloid with formula (x<1)[ or .][
The structure of the mineral has been questioned, as a 2006 spectrographic study suggest material identified a ...]
and the copper carbonates,
azurite
Azurite is a soft, deep-blue copper mineral produced by weathering of copper ore deposits. During the early 19th century, it was also known as chessylite, after the type locality at Chessy-les-Mines near Lyon, France. The mineral, a basic ca ...
and
malachite. The dull grey-black color of tenorite contrasts sharply with the often intergrown blue
chrysocolla
Chrysocolla ( ) is a hydrated copper phyllosilicate mineral and mineraloid with formula (x<1)[ or .][
The structure of the mineral has been questioned, as a 2006 spectrographic study suggest material identified a ...]
.
Cuprite,
native copper
Native copper is an uncombined form of copper that occurs as a natural mineral. Copper is one of the few metallic elements to occur in native form, although it most commonly occurs in oxidized states and mixed with other elements. Native copp ...
and
Fe–
Mn oxides also occur in this environment.
[
In addition to the hydrothermal, tenorite also occurs as a volcanic sublimate from Vesuvius, ]Campania
(man), it, Campana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 =
, demographics1_info1 =
, demog ...
, and Etna, Sicily, Italy. As a sublimate it occurs with copper chlorides, alkali chlorides and cotunnite.[ The Vesuvian sublimate occurrence was originally named ''melaconise'' or ''melaconite'' by F. S. Beudant in 1832.][Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press]
Tenorite was named in 1841 after the Italian botanist Michele Tenore (1780–1861).[
]
See also
* Cuprite CuO
* List of minerals
* List of minerals named after people
References
Copper(II) minerals
Oxide minerals
Monoclinic minerals
Minerals in space group 15
{{oxide-mineral-stub