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Arsenate minerals

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adamite
Adamite is a zinc arsenate hydroxide mineral, Zn2AsO4OH. It is a mineral that typically occurs in the oxidized or weathered zone above zinc ore occurrences. Pure adamite is colorless, but usually it possess yellow color due to Fe compounds admixture. Tints of green also occur and are connected with copper substitutions in the mineral structure. Olivenite is a copper arsenate that is isostructural with adamite and there is considerable substitution between zinc and copper resulting in an intermediate called cuproadamite. Zincolivenite is an intermediate mineral with formula CuZn(AsO4)(OH). Mang
erythrite
thumb|Erythrite (cobalt flower) - Bou Azzer, Atlas Mountains, Morocco. Erythrite, also known as red cobalt, previously cobalt ochre is a secondary hydrated cobalt arsenate mineral with the formula . Erythrite and annabergite, chemical formula , or nickel arsenate form a complete series with the general formula . thumb|left|Erythrite crystals
abernathyite
Abernathyite is a mineral with formula K(UO2)(AsO4)·3H2O. The mineral is named after Jesse Evrett Abernathy (1913–1963) who first noted it in 1953 in the U.S. State of Utah. It was described as a new mineral species in 1956. Abernathyite is yellow and occurs as small crystals.
olivenite
Olivenite is a copper arsenate mineral, formula Cu2AsO4OH. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system (pseudo-orthorhombic), and is sometimes found in small brilliant crystals of simple prismatic habit terminated by domal faces. More commonly, it occurs as globular aggregates of acicular crystals, these fibrous forms often having a velvety luster; sometimes it is lamellar in structure, or soft and earthy.
mimetite
Mimetite is a lead arsenate chloride mineral () which forms as a secondary mineral in lead deposits, usually by the oxidation of galena and arsenopyrite. The name derives from the Greek mimetes, meaning "imitator" and refers to mimetite's resemblance to the mineral pyromorphite. This resemblance is not coincidental, as mimetite forms a mineral series with pyromorphite () and with vanadinite (). Notable occurrences are Mapimi, Durango, Mexico, and Tsumeb, Namibia.
scorodite
Scorodite is a common hydrated iron arsenate mineral, with the chemical formula FeAsO4·2H2O. It is found in hydrothermal deposits and as a secondary mineral in gossans worldwide. Scorodite weathers to limonite.
annabergite
Annabergite is an arsenate mineral consisting of a hydrous nickel arsenate. It is considered a member of the vivianite group and known for its ability to form crystals in a characteristic apple-green color.
adelite
The rare mineral adelite, is a calcium, magnesium, arsenate with chemical formula CaMgAsO4OH. It forms a solid solution series with the vanadium-bearing mineral gottlobite. Various transition metals substitute for magnesium and lead replaces calcium leading to a variety of similar minerals in the adelite–duftite group.
beudantite
Beudandite is a secondary mineral occurring in the oxidized zones of polymetallic deposits. It is a lead, iron, arsenate, sulfate with endmember formula: PbFe3(OH)6SO4AsO4.
euchroite
Euchroite is a hydrated copper arsenate hydroxide mineral with formula: Cu2AsO4OH·3H2O. It is a vitreous green to emerald green mineral crystallizing in the orthorhombic system. It has a Mohs hardness of 3.5–4.0 and a specific gravity of 3.39–3.45. It was first described in 1823 in Ľubietová, Slovakia.
clinoclase
Clinoclase is a hydrous copper arsenate mineral, Cu3AsO4(OH)3. Clinoclase is a rare secondary copper mineral and forms acicular crystals in the fractured weathered zone above copper sulfide deposits. It occurs in vitreous, translucent dark blue to dark greenish blue colored crystals and botryoidal masses. The crystal system is monoclinic 2/m. It has a hardness of 2.5–3 and a relative density of 4.3. Associated minerals include malachite, olivenite, quartz, limonite, adamite, azurite, and brochantite among others.
legrandite
Legrandite is a rare zinc arsenate mineral, Zn2(AsO4)(OH)·(H2O).
conichalcite
Conichalcite, CaCu(AsO4)(OH), is a relatively common arsenate mineral related to duftite (PbCu(AsO4)(OH)). It is green, often botryoidal, and occurs in the oxidation zone of some metal deposits. It occurs with limonite, malachite, beudantite, adamite, cuproadamite, olivenite and smithsonite.
tyrolite
Tyrolite is a hydrous calcium copper arsenate carbonate mineral with the formula CaCu5(AsO4)2CO3(OH)4⋅6H2O. Tyrolite forms glassy, blue to green orthorhombic radial crystals and botryoidal masses. It has a Mohs hardness of 1.5–2.0 and a specific gravity of 3.1–3.2. It is translucent with refractive indices of nα = 1.694, nβ = 1.726, and nγ = 1.730.
roselite
Roselite is a rare arsenate mineral with chemical formula: . It was first described in 1825 for an occurrence in the Rappold mines of Schneeberg, Saxony, Germany and named by Armand Lévy after German mineralogist Gustav Rose. It occurs in cobalt-bearing hydrothermal environments and was associated with veins of quartz and chalcedony in the type locality. It has also been reported from Italy, Morocco, Chile, British Columbia and several locations in Germany.
chalcophyllite
Chalcophyllite is a rare secondary copper arsenate mineral occurring in the oxidized zones of some arsenic-bearing copper deposits. It was first described from material collected in Germany. At one time chalcophyllite from Wheal Tamar in Cornwall, England, was called tamarite, but this name is now discredited (not to be confused with the amphibole mineral taramite, which is quite different). At Wheal Gorland a specimen exhibiting partial replacement of liriconite, , by chalcophyllite has been found. The mineral is named from the Greek, chalco "copper" and fyllon, "leaf", in allusion to its com
bayldonite
Bayldonite (BAIL-done-ite) is a rare secondary mineral with the chemical formula PbCu3(AsO4)2(OH)2. Its provenance has been attributed to Penberthy Croft Mine, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom but there is no substantiating evidence for this and it was only attributed to Cornwall by Church (1865). Also, Church’s paper (Church, 1865) clearly states “I am indebted to Mr. Talling for this mineral species also.” so the original material was supplied by the mineral dealer Richard Talling and not discovered by Bayldon. Bayldonite was named after Church's dear friend and colleague at the Royal Agric
austinite
Austinite is a member of the adelite-descloizite group, adelite subgroup, the zinc (Zn) end member of the copper-Zn series with conichalcite. It is the zinc analogue of cobaltaustinite and nickelaustinite. At one time “brickerite” was thought to be a different species, but it is now considered to be identical to austinite. Austinite is named in honour of Austin Flint Rogers (1877–1957), American mineralogist from Stanford University, California, US.
cornwallite
Cornwallite is an uncommon copper arsenate mineral with formula Cu5(AsO4)2(OH)4. It forms a series with the phosphate pseudomalachite and is a dimorph of the triclinic cornubite. It is a green monoclinic mineral which forms as radial to fibrous encrustations. thumb|left|Botryoidal, green cornwallite in a gossan with white [[baryte from Caldbeck Fells, Cumbria (7.6 × 5.1 × 4.7 cm)]]
allactite
Allactite is a rare arsenate mineral of metamorphosed manganese zinc ore deposits. It is found in Sweden and New Jersey, US. Its name originated from the Greek αλλάκτειν (allaktein) meaning "to change", referring to the strong pleochroism of the mineral.
pharmacosiderite
Pharmacosiderite is a hydrated basic ferric arsenate, with the chemical formula KFe4(AsO4)3(OH)4·(6-7)H2O and a molecular weight of 873.38 g/mol. It consists of the elements arsenic, iron, hydrogen, potassium, sodium and oxygen. It has a Mohs hardness of 2 to 3, about that of a finger nail. Its specific gravity is about 2.7 to 2.9, has indistinct cleavage, and is usually transparent or translucent. It has a yellow or white streak and a yellow, green, brown or red color. Its lustre is adamantine, vitreous and resinous, and it has conchoidal, brittle and sectile fracture.
akrochordite
Akrochordite is a rare hydrated arsenate mineral with the chemical formula and represents a small group of rare manganese (Mn) arsenates and, similarly to most other Mn-bearing arsenates, possess pinkish colour. It is typically associated with metamorphic Mn deposits.
liroconite
Liroconite is a complex mineral: Hydrated copper aluminium arsenate hydroxide, with the formula Cu2Al[(OH)4|AsO4]·4(H2O). It is a vitreous monoclinic mineral, colored bright blue to green, often associated with malachite, azurite, olivenite, and clinoclase. It is quite soft, with a Mohs hardness of 2–2.5, and has a specific gravity of 2.9–3.0. thumb|left|Vugs in gossan lined with lustrous, blue-green liroconite blades and sparkly, dark blue [[clinoclase microcrystals from Wheal Gorland (size: 3.4 × 3.0 × 2.0 cm)]] It was first identified in 1825 in the tin and copper mines of Devon and Cornwal
carminite
thumb|alt=text|Carminite from the Alto das Quelhas do Gestoso Mines, Gestoso, Manhouce, São Pedro do Sul Municipality, Portugal|São Pedro do Sul, Viseu District, Portugal. Picture width 8 mm thumb|alt=text|Blue scorodite crystals on red brown carminite from Alto das Quelhas do Gestoso Mines, Gestoso, Manhouce, São Pedro do Sul, Viseu District, Portugal. Picture width 3 mm. Carminite (PbFe3+2(AsO4)2(OH)2) is an anhydrous arsenate mineral containing hydroxyl. It is a rare secondary mineral that is structurally related to palermoite (Li2SrAl4(PO4)4(OH)4). Sewardite (CaFe3+2(AsO4)2(OH)2) is an ana
mixite
Mixite is a rare copper bismuth arsenate mineral with formula: BiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O). It crystallizes in the hexagonal crystal system typically occurring as radiating acicular prisms and massive encrustations. The color varies from white to various shades of green and blue. It has a Mohs hardness of 3.5 to 4 and a specific gravity of 3.8. It has an uneven fracture and a brilliant to adamantine luster.
zeunerite
Zeunerite is a green copper uranium arsenate mineral with formula Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·(10-16)H2O. It is a member of the autunite group. The associated mineral metazeunerite is a dehydration product of zeunerite.
aerugite
Aerugite is a rare complex nickel arsenate mineral with a variably reported formula: Ni9(AsO4)2AsO6. It forms green to deep blue-green trigonal crystals. It has a Mohs hardness of 4 and a specific gravity of 5.85 to 5.95.
pharmacolite
Pharmacolite is an uncommon calcium arsenate mineral with formula CaHAsO4·2(H2O). It occurs as soft, white clusters of fibrous crystals and encrustations which crystallize in the monoclinic system. It is the arsenate analogue of the sulfate gypsum and the phosphate brushite. thumb|left|Pharmacolite from Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines
tsumcorite
Tsumcorite is a rare hydrated lead arsenate mineral that was discovered in 1971, and reported by Geier, Kautz and Muller. It was named after the TSUMeb CORporation mine at Tsumeb, in Namibia, in recognition of the Corporation's support for mineralogical investigations of the orebody at its Mineral Research Laboratory.
cahnite
Cahnite (Cahnit in German, Cahnita in Spanish, Канит in Russian) is a brittle white or colorless mineral that has perfect cleavage and is usually transparent. It usually forms tetragonal-shaped crystals and it has a hardness of 3 mohs. Cahnite was discovered in the year 1921. It was named Cahnite to honor Lazard Cahn (1865–1940), who was a mineral collector and dealer. It is usually found in the Franklin Mine, in Franklin, New Jersey, but has also been found in Japan as well as in the Vallerano quarries in Rome, Italy. The geological environment that it occurs in is in pegmatites cutting a cha
strashimirite
Strashimirite (IMA symbol: Ssh) is a rare monoclinic mineral containing arsenic, copper, hydrogen, and oxygen. It has the chemical formula .
xanthiosite
Xanthiosite is a nickel arsenate mineral. It was first discovered in Germany in 1858 and named by Gilbert Joseph Adam in 1869.
lavendulan
Lavendulan is an uncommon arsenate mineral in the lavendulan group. It is known for its characteristic intense electric blue colour. Lavendulan is very similar to lemanskiite, the analogue trihydrate mineral, to the point of them being considered dimorphs. Lemanskiite is tetragonal, but lavendulan is monoclinic. Lavendulan has the same structure as sampleite, and the two minerals form a series. It is the calcium analogue of zdenĕkite and the arsenate analogue of sampleite.
fornacite
Fornacite is a rare lead, copper chromate arsenate hydroxide mineral with the formula: Pb2Cu(CrO4)(AsO4)(OH). It forms a series with the phosphate mineral vauquelinite. It forms variably green to yellow, translucent to transparent crystals in the monoclinic – prismatic crystal system. It has a Mohs hardness of 2.3 and a specific gravity of 6.27.
duftite
Duftite is a relatively common arsenate mineral with the formula CuPb(AsO4)(OH), related to conichalcite. It is green and often forms botryoidal aggregates. It is a member of the adelite-descloizite Group, Conichalcite-Duftite Series. Duftite and conichalcite specimens from Tsumeb are commonly zoned in color and composition. Microprobe analyses and X-ray powder-diffraction studies indicate extensive substitution of Zn for Cu, and Ca for Pb in the duftite structure. This indicates a solid solution among conichalcite, CaCu(AsO4 )(OH), austinite, CaZn(AsO4)(OH) and duftite PbCu(AsO4)(OH), all of
bukovskýite
Bukovskyite (also known as "clay of Kutná Hora") is an iron arsenate sulfate mineral with formula: Fe2(AsO4)(SO4)(OH)·7H2O which forms nodules with a reniform (kidney-shaped) surface. Under a microscope, these nodules appear as a collection of minute needles similar to gypsum. Some can be seen with the naked eye and occur inside the nodules.
arseniosiderite
Arseniosiderite is a rare arsenate mineral formed by the oxidation of other arsenic-containing minerals, such as scorodite or arsenopyrite. It occurs in association with beudantite, carminite, dussertite, pharmacolite, pitticite, adamite and erythrite. The name arseniosiderite reflects two major elements of the mineral, arsenic and iron (Greek sideros means iron).
warikahnite
Warikahnite is a rare zinc arsenate mineral of the triclinic crystal system with Hermann-Mauguin notation , belonging to the space group P. It occurs in the Tsumeb mine in Namibia on corroded tennantite in the second oxidation zone under hydrothermal conditions in a dolomite-hosted polymetallic ore deposit. It is associated with adamite, stranskiite, koritnigite, claudetite, tsumcorite, and ludlockite. The origin of discovery was in a dolomite ore formation within an oxidized hydrothermal zone, in the E9 pillar, 31st level of the Tsumeb Mine in Namibia, Southwest Africa. It has also been found
brassite
Brassite is a rare arsenate mineral with the chemical formula Mg(AsO3OH)·4(H2O). It was named brassite, in 1973, to honor French chemist Réjane Brasse, who first synthesized the compound. The type locality for brassite is Jáchymov of the Czech Republic.
arthurite
Arthurite is a mineral composed of divalent copper and iron ions in combination with trivalent arsenate, phosphate and sulfate ions with hydrogen and oxygen. Initially discovered by Sir Arthur Russell in 1954 at Hingston Down Consols mine in Calstock, Cornwall, England, arthurite is formed as a resultant mineral in the oxidation region of some copper deposits by the variation of enargite or arsenopyrite. The chemical formula of Arthurite is CuFe23+(AsO4,PO4,SO4)2(O,OH)2·4H2O.
arhbarite
Arhbarite (IMA symbol: Arh) is a copper magnesium arsenate mineral with the chemical formula CuMg(AsO)(OH). It is named after its type locality, the Arhbar mine in Ouarzazate Province in Drâa-Tafilalet, Morocco.
heinrichite
Heinrichite is a monoclinic-prismatic containing arsenic, barium, hydrogen, oxygen, and uranium. The mineral is named after Eberhardt William Heinrich (1918–1991) who first noted it in 1958 in the U.S. State of Oregon.
cornubite
Cornubite is a rare secondary copper arsenate mineral with formula: Cu5(AsO4)2(OH)4. It was first described for its discovery in 1958 in Wheal Carpenter, Gwinear, Cornwall, England, UK. The name is from Cornubia, the medieval Latin name for Cornwall. It is a dimorph of cornwallite, and the arsenic analogue of pseudomalachite.
mansfieldite
Mansfieldite is an uncommon mineral that was named after an American geologist, George Rogers Mansfield. It has been considered a valid species since 1948. It is a member of the variscite group. Mansfieldite creates a series with scorodite, and it is the aluminium analogue of said gem. Mansfieldite is colorless in transmitted light. It is mostly made out of oxygen (47.54%). Other components include arsenic (37.1%), aluminium (13.36%) and hydrogen (2%). Mansfieldite crystals form due to hydrothermal origin in altered and mineralized andesitic pyroclastic rocks. Due to its size, mansfieldite is
sarkinite
Sarkinite, synonymous with chondrarsenite and polyarsenite, is a mineral with formula Mn2(AsO4)(OH). The mineral is named for the Greek word σάρκιυος, meaning made of flesh, for its red color and greasy luster. The mineral was first noted in Sweden in 1865 as chondrarsenite, though not identified as sarkinite until 1885.
paradamite
Paradamite is a very rare zinc arsenate mineral with the chemical formula Zn2(AsO4)(OH). It is closely related to the better-known mineral adamite: both have the same chemical composition, but the atoms are arranged differently in the crystals. Because of this different structure, paradamite and adamite belong to different crystal systems (triclinic for paradamite, orthorhombic for adamite) and are considered polymorphs of each other.
cabalzarite
Cabalzarite is a rare arsenate mineral with the chemical formula . It is a member of the tsumcorite group. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system and typically occurs as clusters of crystals or granular aggregates.
alarsite
Alarsite (AlAsO4) is an aluminium arsenate mineral with its name derived from its composition: aluminium and arsenate. It occurs as brittle subhedral grains which exhibit trigonal symmetry. It has a Mohs hardness of 5-5.5 and a specific gravity of 3.32. It is semitransparent, colorless with pale yellow tints and shows a vitreous luster. It is optically uniaxial (+) with refractive indices of nω = 1.596 and nε = 1.608.
keyite
Keyite is a mineral with the chemical formula . The name comes from Charles Locke Key (born 1935), an American mineral dealer who furnished its first specimens. Keyite is monoclinic-prismatic, meaning its crystal form has three unequal axes, two of which have 90° angles between them and one with an angle less than 90°. Keyite belongs to the biaxial optical class, meaning it has more than one axis of anisotropy (optic axis), in which light travels with zero birefringence, and three indices of refraction, nα = 1.800, nβ, and nγ = 1.870. Being a very rare cadmium copper arsenate, keyite is only f
metazeunerite
Metazeunerite is an arsenate mineral with a chemical formula of Cu(UO2)2(AsO4)2·8H2O. The origin of this mineral is almost always from the natural dehydration process of zeunerite.
zincolivenite
Zincolivenite is a copper zinc arsenate mineral with formula CuZn(AsO4)(OH) that is a member of the olivenite group. Its colors range from green to blue, and its name comes from its composition of zinc and olivenite.
kaatialaite
Kaatialaite (Fe(H2AsO4)3·5H2O) is a ferric arsenate mineral found in Finland.
weilite
Weilite (CaHAsO4) is a rare arsenate mineral. It is a translucent white triclinic mineral with a waxy luster.
picropharmacolite
Picropharmacolite, Ca4Mg(AsO3OH)2(AsO4)2·11H2O, is a rare arsenate mineral. It was named in 1819 from the Greek for bitter, in allusion to its magnesium content, and its chemical similarity to pharmacolite. The mineral irhtemite, Ca4Mg(AsO3OH)2(AsO4)2·4H2O, has the same composition as picropharmacolite, except that it has only four water molecules per formula unit, instead of eleven. It may be formed by the dehydration of picropharmacolite.
andyrobertsite
Andyrobertsite is a rare, complex arsenate mineral with a blue color. It is found in the Tsumeb mine in Namibia and named after Andrew C. Roberts (b. 1950), mineralogist with the Geological Survey of Canada. A Ca-rich analogue (with Ca instead of Cd) is called calcioandyrobertsite and has a more greenish tint.
atelestite
Atelestite is an arsenate mineral with the chemical formula Bi(AsO)O(OH). Its type locality is Erzgebirgskreis, Saxony, Germany.
agardite
Agardite is a mineral group consisting of agardite-(Y), agardite-(Ce), agardite-(Nd), and agardite-(La). They comprise a group of minerals that are hydrous hydrated arsenates of rare-earth elements (REE) and copper, with the general chemical formula (REE,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3H2O. Yttrium, cerium, neodymium, lanthanum, as well as trace to minor amounts of other REEs, are present in their structure. Agardite-(Y) is probably the most often found representative. They form needle-like yellow-green (variably hued) crystals in the hexagonal crystal system. Agardite minerals are a member of the mixite
chernovite-(Y)
Chernovite-(Y) is a mineral. It was first described in 1967 as Chernovite, named after the Russian geologist Aleksandr A. Chernov. The suffix -(Y) was added in 1987. It is a colourless to pale yellow mineral with a vitreous luster. It has a tetragonal crystalline structure, and has the chemical makeup of Y(AsO4), which is yttrium, arsenic, and oxygen, at a 1:1:4 ratio. It has a specific gravity of 4.866g/cm3.
arsenuranospathite
Arsenuranospathite (IMA symbol: Aush) is a rare mineral with the chemical formula Al(UO2)2(AsO4)2F·20H2O. The name "arsenuranospathite" as arsenate analog of uranospathite was first used by Walenta (1963) with reference to a uranyl-arsenate mineral from Black Forest (Schwarzwald) massif, Germany. thumb|Arsenuranospathite Later it was undoubtedly demonstrated that the name arsenuranospathite was applied, at least, to two different species – proper arsenuranospathite, ideally Al(UO2)2(AsO4)2F·20H2O, orthorhombic, and its partially dehydrated analogue, Al(UO2)2(AsO4)2F·nH2O (n = 8–10), tetragonal
talmessite
Talmessite is a hydrated calcium magnesium arsenate, often with significant amounts of cobalt or nickel. It was named in 1960 for the type locality, the Talmessi mine, Anarak district, Iran. It forms a series with β-Roselite, where cobalt replaces some of the magnesium, and with gaitite, where zinc replaces the magnesium. All these minerals are members of the fairfieldite group. Talmessite is dimorphic with wendwilsonite (which is not a member of this group).