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 — 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 — Bobkingite leaves pale blue, Paratacamite leaves apple green; luster reads vitreous on Bobkingite and adamantine on Paratacamite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — 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 — that is 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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