Tenorite occurs in the weathered or oxidized zone associated with deeper primary copper sulfide orebodies.

Tenorite commonly occurs with chrysocolla and the copper carbonates, azurite and malachite.

The dull grey-black color of tenorite contrasts sharply with the often intergrown blue chrysocolla.

[2] In addition to the hydrothermal, tenorite also occurs as a volcanic sublimate from Vesuvius, Campania, and Etna, Sicily, Italy.

[2] The Vesuvian sublimate occurrence was originally named melaconise or melaconite by F. S. Beudant in 1832.