Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0 [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
An overview on Papagoite Jewelry and Gemstones. Covers details and essential information on the physical properties and characteristics of Papagoite gems.
Papagoite Value
The International Gem Society (IGS) has a list of businesses offering gemstone appraisal services.
Papagoite Information
| Data | Value |
| Name | Papagoite |
| Crystallography | Monoclinic; crystals tiny, flattened; usually microcrystalline coatings and aggregates, sometimes mixed with quartz. |
| Colors | Cerulean blue; leaves no streak. |
| Luster | Vitreous. |
| Hardness | 5-5.5; may be approximately 7 if silicified. |
| Density | 3.25 if pure; may be lower (for example, 2.42 on Arizona material) if mixed with quartz. |
| Birefringence | 0.065. |
| Cleavage | Distinct on crystals; not observed on microcrystalline material: pure mineral is brittle, tough if mixed with quartz. |
| Stone Sizes | Cabochons up to several inches in length can be cut from the massive material. |
| Luminescence | None reported; inert in LW and SW. |
| Spectral | Bands centered at 4480, 5150, and 5550. |
| Formula | CaCuAlSi2O6(OH)3 |
| Pleochroism | None reported. |
Optics: a= 1.607; β=1.641; γ=1.672.
Biaxial (-).
Occurrence: Originally found as tiny crystals associated with ajoite at Ajo, Pima County, Arizona. This was not cuttable. Material mixed with quartz was reported from a locality near Elko, Nevada. This is hard, tough, and takes a high polish making it suitable for cabochons. A regular interlocking structure is visible under magnification, and tiny metallic copper crystals may also be noted. The material is similar in appearance to chrysocolla or turquoise. Cabochons are translucent to opaque with a vitreous luster.
Name: For the Papago Indian tribe that lived in the region around Ajo, Arizona.
