Christelite Mineral Data

General Christelite Information

Chemical Formula:

Zn3Cu2(SO4)2(OH)6•4(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 689.49 gm

Zinc 28.45 % Zn 35.41 % ZnO

Copper 18.43 % Cu 20.75 % Cu₂O

Hydrogen 2.05 % H 18.29 % H₂O

Sulfur 9.30 % S 23.22 % SO₃

Oxygen 41.77 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 97.68 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Zn₃Cu₂(SO₄)₂(OH)₆•4(H₂O)

Environment:

Presumably in a secondary assemblage.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1995 (Dana # Added)

Locality:

The San Francisco mine, Sierra Groda, northeast of Antofagasta, in the 2nd region of northern Chile. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after Mrs. Christel Gebhard-Giesen (1950- ) who discovered the mineral.

Synonym:

ICSD 404835

IMA1995-030

PDF 49-1865

Christelite Image

Images:

Christelite Paratacamite

Comments: Robins-egg blue christelite with dark green paratacamite on matrix.
Location: San Francisco mine, Sierra Gorda, Chile. Scale: 3 cm.
© John Veevaert

Christelite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.8543:1:1.6527

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.415, b = 6.338, c = 10.475, Z = 1; alpha = 94.633°, beta = 90.216°, gamma = 90.667° V = 358.30 Den(Calc)= 3.20

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 5.23(1), 10.459(0.82), 3.486(0.54),

Physical Properties of Christelite

Cleavage:

{001} Perfect

Color:

Greenish blue.

Density:

2.98 - 3.14, Average = 3.06

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Habit:

Bladed - Aggregates of thin lath-like crystals (e.g. kyanite).

Hardness:

2-3 - Gypsum-Calcite

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

bright greenish blue

Optical Properties of Christelite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.026 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.068 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1936,KPDmeas= 0.2025,KC= 0.2078
Ncalc = 1.62 - 1.66

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.5977, b=1.6259, g=1.6354, bire=0.0377

Calculated Properties of Christelite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.00 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Christelite =3.06 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Christelite= 22.42 barns/electron
U=PE_Christelite x rElectron Density= 67.28 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Christelite Classification

Dana Class:

31.06.03.02 (31)Hydrated Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(31.06)where (A+ B++)5 (XO4)2 Zqï¿½x(H2O)

(31.06.03)Dana Group

31.06.03.01 Ktenasite (Cu,Zn)5(SO4)2(OH)6•6(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

31.06.03.02 Christelite! Zn3Cu2(SO4)2(OH)6•4(H2O) P1 1

Strunz Class:

07.DD.25 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

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

07.DD -With only medium-sized cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra

07.DD.25 Christelite! Zn3Cu2(SO4)2(OH)6•4(H2O) P1 1

Other Christelite Information

References:

NAME( MinRec) PHYS. PROP.(Eur. J. Min.,Vol.8,1996) OPTIC PROP.(MinRec)

See Also:

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

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Christelite Specimen Label here :

Christelite

Zn3Cu2(SO4)2(OH)6•4(H2O)
Dana No: 31.06.03.02 Strunz No: 07.DD.25
Locality:

Notes:

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