Bobkingite is a rare copper chloride hydroxide mineral known primarily from Arizona mines. It typically occurs as small blue or blue-green tabular crystals or thin crusts in oxidized copper zones, often found associated with other copper halide species.
Is this bobkingite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch bobkingite with a known reference. Bobkingite sits at Mohs 3, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Bobkingite leaves a pale blue streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Bobkingite typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: blue, blue-green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, crusts.
Often confused with
Bobkingite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Bobkingite leaves pale blue, Atacamite leaves apple green; luster reads vitreous on Bobkingite and adamantine to vitreous on Atacamite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Bobkingite leaves pale blue, Paratacamite leaves apple green; luster reads vitreous on Bobkingite and adamantine on Paratacamite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs, so Bobkingite leaves pale blue, Clinoatacamite leaves apple green.
Often found alongside bobkingite
Minerals reported to co-occur with bobkingite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Cu₅Cl₂(OH)₈·2H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 3
- Density
- 3.32 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Pale Blue
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Crusts
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {010}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Hydrothermal Copper Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find bobkingite
Classic worldwide localities
- Big Bonanza mine, Arizona, USA
- New Nevada mine, Arizona, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized hydrothermal copper deposits country, the host setting where bobkingite typically forms. If you start seeing atacamite, goethite, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, crusts habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find bobkingite on the map
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