I discovered this spot while doing an Adventure Lab out here with Gonewiththewin, making memories vs. collecting them. The color just popped out at me. All along the walk I found small Limestone pieces with this mineral embedded in it, as you will. But when I came across this spot I knew a New EarthCache was in the making.
I HAVE RECIEVED PERMISSION FOR THIS EC FROM THE FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE. THIS PERMISSION IS CONTINGENT ON NO EXAMPLES OF THIS OR ANY OTHER MINERAL BE TAKEN AND THAT NO VISITOR TO THIS TRAC ENTER ANY FENCED IN AREA. TO DO SO IS A FEDERAL OFFENSE.
Questions to answer for your smiley
1) After reading the lesson , how is this mineral typically found in Limestone.?
2) In your opinion, of the choices in question #1, which is found here at GZ?
3) From the lesson , how is Chrysocolla formed?
4) At GZ, is the Chrysocolla embedded in the limestone bedrock or laying loose as the examples you have seen walking this path?
5) As of June 2019, earthcaches now contain required photo logging tasks. Please provide a photo of yourself, your GPSr, or a personal item that proves that you have visited this site. You can use either the trail leading towards Radar Hill as your Backdrop. NO SPOILERS PLEASE!
EARTHCACHE REQUIREMENTS
Each cacher must send his/her own answers BEFORE logging a find. ... "Geocachers must complete the tasks before they log the EarthCache as found." (4.3. EarthCache logging tasks) if your answers are WAY off, I’ll contact you. Otherwise, please log your find after sending me your answers. In the e-mail, please indicate your geocaching name and include the names of other geocachers with you. Logging it as found without providing your answers AND not uploading a photo will result in the log being deleted without notice. According to the guidelines, sending the answers is a requirement, not a request.
The Lesson
Chrysocolla has a cyan (blue-green) color and is a minor ore of copper, having a hardness of 2.5 to 7.0. It is of secondary origin and forms in the oxidation zones of copper ore bodies. Associated minerals are quartz, limonite, azurite, malachite and other secondary copper minerals.When it is found in Limestone as it is here it is typically found asbotryoidal or rounded masses and crusts, or vein fillings.
What is Chrysocolla?
Chrysocolla is a blue-ish stone with a wide range of hardness.. Most varieties bear striking resemblance to powder blue turquoise, and its often used by traditional silversmiths in its place. It’s not quite as rare or valuable as turquoise, but it’s not a cheap stone by any means.
The presence of copper gives chrysocolla its characteristic blue and green colors. Other elements, such as iron,manganese, and calcium, can also be present in trace amounts, leading to variations in color and composition. It is easily reduced when mixed with limestone. Due to its many impurities it seldom yields more than 10 per cent copper. Chrysocolla is mined with other ores of copper and is treated with them for the metal it contains.
Association with Limestone:
Limestone, being a sedimentary rock, can be a host rock for copper deposits. When these deposits are exposed to weathering, the copper can be leached out and redeposited as chrysocolla in cracks and cavities within the limestone.
Appearance:
Chrysocolla in limestone can vary in appearance. It might be a bright blue or green, or a mix of both, depending on the copper content and the presence of other minerals like malachite (another copper carbonate). It often has a botryoidal or crusty texture.
Chrysocolla's Formation:
Chrysocolla forms when copper-bearing solutions interact with silica-rich fluids, often in the presence of limestone. This process can happen during the weathering and oxidation of copper sulfide deposits.
REFERENCES USED:
A) https://geologyscience.com/minerals/silicates-minerals/chrysocolla/
B) Chrysocolla - Wikipedia
C) Chrysocolla Mineral Data
