Fingerite (IMAGE)

Terry Collins Assoc

Fingerite

Caption

Fingerite, Cu11O2(VO4)6, is the 'perfect storm' of rarity. The mineral forms under extremely restrictive conditions (category 1), from rare elements (category 2), it is water soluble and disappears when rained upon (category 3), and it comes from dangerous volcanic fumeroles near active volcanoes, so is rarely collected (category 4). Fingerite is only known from near the summit of the Izalco Volcano in El Salvador. Named after mineralogist and crystallographer Larry Finger, a longtime colleague of Robert Hazen High-res photos: 1) http://bit.ly/1PzFBwl 2) http://bit.ly/1S0d4SY

Credit

Robert Downs, University of Arizona.

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