Mineral Species: Devilline
Chemical Formula: CaCu4(SO4)2(OH)6.3(H2O)
Chemical Name: Calcium Copper Sulfate Hydroxide
Mineral Class: Sulfate
Mineral Notes: Devilline is a rare secondary copper ore mineral found in weathered zones. Its name comes from the difficulty of smelting the ore to produce copper, hence devil ore or devilline. The reason is that the calcium fuses into the copper producing a very brittle and useless material. Fractionation was required to separate the copper, a very energy intensive and hence expensive process.
Description: A white, highly crystalline matrix upon which sit numerous blue tufts of Devilline. Magnification shows each one of these to be formed of a cluster of small radiating crystals.
Location: Hilarion Mine, Lavrion, Greece.