Mineral Species
covellite
Type Locality
No
Composition
CuS
Crystal System
Hexagonal
Status at Tsumeb
Confirmed
Abundance
Somewhat rare
Distribution
First and third oxidation zones; sulphide ores
Paragenesis
Supergene
Entry Number
Species; TSNB98
General Notes
Covellite occurs widely in the first oxidation zone as thin coatings, crusts and fracture-fillings in sulphide (chalcocite or digenite) ore. Occasionally larger masses of covellite were found (Pinch and Wilson, 1977). Keller (1977a) noted scales of covellite on anglesite or cerussite.
Hughes (1987) described intergrowths of covellite and chalcopyrite resulting from the partial oxidation of bornite in ore from 21 Level.
Gebhard (1999) noted simply the occurrence of covellite with azurite, but without any further detail.
Covellite occurs mainly in the first oxidation zone, but the discovery of mm-sized crystals on 44 and 45 levels in the third oxidation zone was noted by Gebhard (1999).
