| Paratacamite | |
| Category: | Halide mineral |
| Imasymbol: | Pata[1] |
| Molweight: | 58.433 g/mol |
| Strunz: | III / D.01-55 |
| System: | Trigonal |
| Class: | Rhombohedral |
| Unit Cell: | a = 13,654, c = 14,041; |
| Color: | Green |
| Cleavage: | Very good |
| Fracture: | Conchoidal |
| Mohs: | 3 |
| Luster: | Vitreous |
| Streak: | Green |
| Gravity: | 3.74 |
| Density: | 3.74g/cm3 |
| Solubility: | Acid-soluble |
| Diaphaneity: | Transparent |
| References: | [2] |
Paratacamite is a mineral in the halide minerals category. Its chemical formula is . Its name is derived from its association with atacamite. Paratacamite was first described by Herbert Smith in 1906.[3] The zincian endmember is called herbertsmithite, and paratacamite is polymorphous with botallackite and atacamite.[4]
It has been found in Chile, Botallack Mine in Cornwall, Broken Hill, Australia, and in Italy at Capo Calamita on the island of Elba.