Alunite Mineral Data

General Alunite Information

Chemical Formula:

KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 414.21 gm

Potassium 9.44 % K 11.37 % K₂O

Aluminum 19.54 % Al 36.92 % Al₂O₃

Hydrogen 1.46 % H 13.05 % H₂O

Sulfur 15.48 % S 38.66 % SO₃

Oxygen 54.08 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

KAl₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₆

Environment:

Rock forming mineral where acid, often ore-bearing, solutions have altered orthoclase feldspar-rich rocks.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1824

Locality:

Marysvale, Utah. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Latin alunit, meaning "alum."

Name Pronunciation:

Alunite

Synonym:

Aluminilite

ICSD 12106

PDF 13-136

Alunite Image

Images:

Alunite

Comments: Octahedral clear to tan tinted crystals of alunite.
Location: Marysvale, Piute County, Utah, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Alunite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:2.49354

Cell Dimensions:

a = 6.97, c = 17.38, Z = 4; V = 731.22 Den(Calc)= 3.76

Crystal System:

Trigonal Space Group: R 3m, R 3m

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.89(1), 2.99(1), 2.293(0.8),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 0 1 2) ( 0 0 1)

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Physical Properties of Alunite

Cleavage:

{0001} Good

Color:

White, Gray, Yellowish gray, Reddish gray, Yellowish white.

Density:

2.59 - 2.9, Average = 2.74

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to translucent

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).

Habit:

Fibrous - Crystals made up of fibers.

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Hardness:

3.5-4 - Copper Penny-Fluorite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous - Pearly

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Alunite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.268 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1548,KPDmeas= 0.212,KC= 0.2115
Ncalc = 1.55 - 1.8

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (+), w=1.572, e=1.592, bire=0.0200.

Calculated Properties of Alunite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.76 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Alunite =2.75 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0014342941
Boson Index = 0.9985657059

Photoelectric:

PE_Alunite= 2.47 barns/electron
U=PE_Alunite x r_electron= 6.80 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 136.78 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Alunite per GRapi unit = 0.73 (%)

Estimated Radioactivity from Alunite - barely detectable

Alunite Classification

Dana Class:

30.02.04.01 (30)Anhydrous Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(30.02)where (A B)2 XO4 Zq

(30.02.04)Alunite Group (Alunite Subgroup)

30.02.04.01 Alunite KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m, R 3m Trig

30.02.04.02 Natroalunite NaAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

30.02.04.03 Schlossmacherite (H3O,Ca)Al3(AsO4,SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

30.02.04.04 Osarizawaite PbCuAl2(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

30.02.04.05 Minamiite (Na,Ca,K)Al3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

30.02.04.06 Ammonioalunite (NH4)Al3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

30.02.04.07 Walthierite Ba0.5Al3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

30.02.04.08 Huangite Ca0.5Al3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

07.BC.10 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

07.B - Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with Additional Anions, without H2O

07.BC -With medium-sized and large cations

07.BC.10 Alunite KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m, R 3m Trig

07.BC.10 Ammonioalunite (NH4)Al3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

07.BC.10 Ammoniojarosite (NH4)Fe3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

07.BC.10 Beaverite PbCu(Fe,Al)2(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

07.BC.10 Argentojarosite AgFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

07.BC.10 Huangite Ca0.5Al3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

07.BC.10 Dorallcharite (Tl,K)Fe3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

07.BC.10 Jarosite KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3 3

07.BC.10 Hydroniumjarosite (H3O)Fe3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

07.BC.10 Minamiite (Na,Ca,K)Al3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

07.BC.10 Natrojarosite NaFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

07.BC.10 Natroalunite NaAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

07.BC.10 Osarizawaite PbCuAl2(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

07.BC.10 Plumbojarosite PbFe6(SO4)4(OH)12 R 3m 3 2/m

07.BC.10 Schlossmacherite (H3O,Ca)Al3(AsO4,SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

07.BC.10 Walthierite Ba0.5Al3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3 2/m

Other Alunite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Alunite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
3 - Athena
4 - EUROmin Project
5 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
6 - GeoScienceWorld
7 - Google Images
8 - Google Scholar
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
10 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
11 - MinDAT
12 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
13 - Online Mineral Museum
14 - Philatelic Mineralogy
15 - QUT Mineral Atlas
16 - Ruff.Info
17 - WWW-MINCRYST

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Alunite

KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Dana No: 30.02.04.01 Strunz No: 07.BC.10
Locality:

Notes:

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