covellite

[koh-vel-ahyt, koh-vuh-lahyt]

noun

1. a mineral, copper sulfide, CuS, indigo in color and usually occurring as a massive coating on other copper minerals.

Word History and Origins

Origin of covellite¹

1840–50; named after Nicolò Covelli (1790–1829), Italian mineralogist who found it; -ite ¹

Example Sentences

After the Restore Our Creek Coalition and The Montana Standard co-sponsored a well-attended rally two weeks ago at the Covellite Theatre, many of the participants received excellent feedback and support from community members, who say they appreciate what the coalition is trying to accomplish - quite simply, to push the parties to Butte’s long-running Superfund cleanup to remove the tailings, get it done, restore Silver Bow and Blacktail creeks.

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COVELLITE, a mineral species consisting of cupric sulphide, CuS, crystallizing in the hexagonal system.

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The name covellite is taken from N. Covelli, who in 1839 observed crystals of cupric sulphide encrusting Vesuvian lava, the mineral having been formed here by the interaction of hydrogen sulphide and cupric chloride, both of which are volatile volcanic products.

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Covellite is, however, more commonly found in copper-bearing veins, where it has resulted by the alteration of other copper sulphides, namely chalcopyrite, copper-glance and erubescite.

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Copper-glance readily alters to other minerals, such as malachite, covellite, melaconite and chalcopyrite.

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