Chaidamuite Mineral Data

General Chaidamuite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Zn,Fe++)Fe+++(SO4)2(OH)•4(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 402.43 gm

Zinc 16.25 % Zn 20.22 % ZnO

Iron 13.88 % Fe 19.84 % Fe₂O₃

Hydrogen 2.25 % H 20.14 % H₂O

Sulfur 15.94 % S 39.79 % SO₃

Oxygen 51.68 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

ZnFe³⁺(SO₄)₂(OH)•4(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary mineral.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1986

Locality:

Xitieshan Pb-Zn mine, Chaidamu (Qaidam) basin, Qinghai, China. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the locality.

Chaidamuite Image

Images:

Chaidamuite

Comments: Pale yellow earthy coatings of chaidamuite with brown limonite on friable matrix.
Location: Getchell Mine, Humboldt County, Nevada, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Chaidamuite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =1.0148:1:1.3455

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.309, b = 7.202, c = 9.691, Z = 2; alpha = 89.643°, beta = 105.89°, gamma = 91.11° V = 490.53 Den(Calc)= 2.72

Crystal System:

Triclinic - Pedial H-M Symbol (1) Space Group: P1

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.118(1), 3.09(0.95), 9.4(0.8),

Physical Properties of Chaidamuite

Cleavage:

{001} Perfect, {100} Perfect

Color:

Brown, Yellowish brown.

Density:

2.722

Diaphaneity:

Translucent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

2.5-3 - Finger Nail-Calcite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

light yellow

Optical Properties of Chaidamuite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.028 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.029 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2402,KPDmeas= 0.24,KC= 0.2334
Ncalc = 1.63 - 1.64

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.632, b=1.64, g=1.688, bire=0.0560, 2V(Calc)=46, 2V(Meas)=44.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless or light yellow.

Pleochroism (y):

light yellow or light yellow.

Pleochroism (z):

brownish yellow or brownish yellow.

Calculated Properties of Chaidamuite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.72 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Chaidamuite =2.72 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Chaidamuite= 12.86 barns/electron
U=PE_Chaidamuite x rElectron Density= 34.96 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Chaidamuite is Not Radioactive

Chaidamuite Classification

Dana Class:

31.09.07.02 (31)Hydrated Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(31.09)where (A+ B++) (XO4) Zqï¿½x(H2O)

(31.09.07)Dana Group

31.09.07.01 Guildite CuFe(SO4)2(OH)•4(H2O) P 2₁/m 2/m

31.09.07.02 Chaidamuite (Zn,Fe)Fe(SO4)2(OH)•4(H2O) P1 1

Strunz Class:

07.DC.30 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

07.D - Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O

07.DC -With only medium-sized cations; chains of corner-sharing octahedra

07.DC.30 Chaidamuite (Zn,Fe)Fe(SO4)2(OH)•4(H2O) P1 1

07.DC.30 Guildite CuFe(SO4)2(OH)•4(H2O) P 2₁/m 2/m

Other Chaidamuite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.73,p1493,1988) OPTIC PROP.(Am.Min.,Vol.73,p1493,1988)

See Also:

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

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Chaidamuite

(Zn,Fe++)Fe+++(SO4)2(OH)•4(H2O)
Dana No: 31.09.07.02 Strunz No: 07.DC.30
Locality:

Notes:

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