Reinerite
| Reinerite | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Category | arsenite |
| Chemical formula | Zn3(AsO3)2 |
| Strunz classification | 04.JA.10 |
| Crystal symmetry | Orthorhombic dipyramidal 2/m 2/m 2/m |
| Unit cell |
a = 6.092 Å, b= 14.407 Å, c= 7.811 Å, Z=4, V = 685.55, ratio = a:b:c = 0.423 : 1 : 0.542 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Sky blue, yellow green |
| Crystal habit | Rough striated pseudohexagonal crystals |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
| Cleavage | Good on {110}, {011} and {111} |
| Mohs scale hardness | 5 - 5.5 |
| Luster | Vitreous to adamantine |
| Diaphaneity | Transparent |
| Specific gravity | 4.27 |
| Optical properties | Biaxial (-) |
| Refractive index | nα = 1.740 nβ = 1.790 nγ = 1.820 |
| Birefringence | Maxium δ = 0.080 |
| References | [1][2][3][4] |
Reinerite is a rare arsenite (arsenate(III)) mineral with chemical formula Zn3(AsO3)2.[3][2] It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system.
Contents |
[edit] Physical properties
Reinerite is most commonly found as a sky blue colored mineral, however, it may also be a light yellowish green color. Reinerite has a relative hardness of 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs Scale which is equivalent to that of a knife blade and or shard of glass. It has a density of 4.27 g/cm3,[1] and it exhibits a nonmetalic luster that may be described as glassy or vitreous.[5]
[edit] Environment
Reinerite develops in dolostone-hosted locations. It is known especially from Namibia, Africa, within the mines of Tsumeb. At the Tsumeb location, Reinerite develops within the polymetallic lead-zinc-copper deposit, 800 m below the surface, in the second oxidation zone.[4] It occurs in association with chalcocite, bornite, willemite, smithsonite, hydrozincite, hemimorphite, adamite, olivenite and gebhardite.[2]
[edit] History
Reinerite was first described in 1958 for an occurrence in the Tsumeb Mine, Tsumeb, Namibia and named for senior chemist Willy Reiner (1895-1965) of Tsumeb Corporation, who analyzed this mineral.[1][3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Webmineral data
- ^ a b c Handbook of Mineralogy
- ^ a b c Mindat.org
- ^ a b American Mineralogist
- ^ Lutgens, Frederick, and Edward Tarbuck. Essentials of Geology. 10th. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009. 42. Print.
