Clinoclase

Maucher (1908a) described thin fibrous coatings of clinoclase over malachite but, in the ensuing 100 years, no further observation of this mineral was reported.

Pinch and Wilson (1977) noted that clinoclase was observed only by Maucher and that "… some investigators feel the identification is questionable". Keller (1984) considered the occurrence of clinoclase as doubtful, while Von Bezing et al. (2007) noted that Maucher had been frustrated by analytical errors, thereby implying that perhaps his identification of clinoclase was mistaken.

The modern verification of clinoclase at Tsumeb was mentioned in passing by Blass et al. (2009) and later described in detail by Zindel (2010). Clinoclase was identified on a specimen of malachite rich secondary ore from the collection of Carl Wilhelm Schiffner (1865-1945), which unequivocally dates the specimen to the first oxidation zone. It occurs as small spots and "crystal lawns" consisting of tiny prismatic, partly radiating highly glossy crystals, pale blue on the surface of the specimen and dark blue in the fractures, apparently due to its being protected from the light. Malachite, and "… an arsentsumebite-like and cuprite-like mineral are associated with clinoclase." (Zindel 2010; Von Bezing et al. 2014).