COPPER. 
421 
RED COPPER ORE. 
Cuivre Oxidule. Hairy. — Red Oxide of Copper. Cleavcland, Phillips and Thomson. — Red Copper Ore. She¬ 
pard. — Octahedral Red Copper Ore. Jameson. — Octacdrisclies Kupfcr Erz. Mohs. — Zigueline. Bcudant. 
Fi s- 503 - Description. Colour red of various shades, especially cochineal- 
red. Streak several shades of brownish red, shining. It occurs 
regularly crystallized, and also in the form of the octahedron and 
its modifications ; also massive, disseminated, friable or earthy. 
Primary form the regular octahedron, Fig. 503. Cleavage parallel 
with the primary planes, but not easily obtained. Fracture uneven. 
Lustre adamantine, inclining to semi-metallic. Varies from translu¬ 
cent to opaque. Brittle. Hardness from 3.5 to 4.0. Specific gra¬ 
vity from 5.60 to 6.10. Before the blowpipe on charcoal, it is easily 
reduced into a globule of copper ; with borax, it fuses readily into a green glass. It is solu¬ 
ble in nitre and muriatic acids. The solution in muriatic acid gives with caustic potash an 
ochre-yellow precipitate. 
Varieties. Capillary Red Copper Ore. This differs chiefly in being made up of extremely 
slender and elongated crystals, which sometimes appear reticulated, or even fibrous. 
Compact Red Copper Ore. Of a brick-red or brownish-red colour, and commonly with an 
earthy fracture, sometimes glistening. It generally contains oxide of iron. 
Composition. Copper 85.50, oxygen 11.50 ( Clienevix ). Formula Cu 2 0. 
Geological Situation. It occurs in veins, beds and smaller masses, in primitive, transi¬ 
tion and secondary rocks, and is associated with other ores of copper and iron. 
localities. 
According to Mr. Mather, this mineral is found in thin seams associated with green carbo¬ 
nate of copper, in the trap rocks two miles from Ladenton in the county of Rockland.* 
The red copper ore, occurs imperfectly crystallized and massive, at the Schuyler, Bridge- 
water and Flemington copper mines in New-Jersey. Some of the specimens have a lead- 
grey colour, and a high metallic lustre ; while others vary in colour from purple to brick-red, 
and have a compact structure and an earthy fracture. The powder of all of them, however, 
is reddish. It is also found in thin veins, sometimes associated with native copper, in the red 
shale near the city of New-Brunswick in the same State. 
Neui-York Geological Reports, 1839 . 
