Georgeite is a rare, amorphous copper carbonate hydroxide that typically occurs as soft, earthy, pale blue crusts or botryoidal coatings. It is an unstable secondary mineral found in the oxidation zones of copper deposits, often altering into malachite over time.
Is this georgeite?
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 georgeite with a known reference. Georgeite sits at Mohs 2-3 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Georgeite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Georgeite typically shows a dull luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: blue, pale blue, greenish blue.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: amorphous. Typical habit: botryoidal, crusts, earthy masses.
Often confused with
Georgeite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Georgeite leaves white, Malachite leaves light green; luster reads dull on Georgeite and vitreous on Malachite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Georgeite leaves white, Azurite leaves light blue; luster reads dull on Georgeite and vitreous to dull on Azurite.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Georgeite leaves white, Aurichalcite leaves pale blue; luster reads dull on Georgeite and pearly on Aurichalcite.
Often found alongside georgeite
Minerals reported to co-occur with georgeite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Cu₂(CO₃)(OH)₂·xH₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2-3
- Density
- 2.7 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Dull
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Amorphous
- Crystal habit
- Botryoidal, Crusts, Earthy Masses
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Oxidized Zones of Copper Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-300 per specimen
Where rockhounds find georgeite
Classic worldwide localities
- Carr Boyd Rocks mine, Western Australia
- Broken Hill, New South Wales
Field-hunting tip
Look in oxidized zones of copper deposits country — that is the host setting where georgeite typically forms. If you start seeing malachite, azurite, goethite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a botryoidal, crusts, earthy masses habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
How do you identify georgeite?+
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Find georgeite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
