Formula: CuSO₄ · 5H₂O

Colour: Green, green blue, light blue, or dark blue; colourless to pale blue in transmitted light.

Lustre: Vitreous, Resinous

Hardness: 2½

Specific Gravity: 2.286

Crystal System: Triclinic

Member of: Chalcanthite Group

Name: From the Greek chalkos, “copper” and anthos, “flower.”

Type Locality:  Chuquicamata Mine, Chuquicamata District, Calama, El Loa Province, Antofagasta – Chile

Chalcanthite Group.
Copper analogue of siderotil and pentahydrite. Chalcanthite is natural, water-soluble copper sulphate. A secondary mineral that is formed in arid climates or in rapidly oxidizing copper deposits. It is usually of post-mining formation, forming on mine walls and by the action of acidic surface waters on copper veins.