Named after the type locality, in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, this mineral is a secondary copper mineral formed through the oxidation of other copper minerals, especially in arid, saline conditions.
![](https://min4kids.org/files/sites/default/files/atacamite.jpg)
![](https://min4kids.org/files/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/6atacamite-chile-belkis2736.jpg)
Named after the type locality, in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, this mineral is a secondary copper mineral formed through the oxidation of other copper minerals, especially in arid, saline conditions.
Mineral Photos courtesy of R.Weller/Cochise College