Copiapite Mineral Data

General Copiapite Information

Chemical Formula:

Fe++Fe+++4(SO4)6(OH)2•20(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,249.94 gm

Iron 22.34 % Fe 5.75 % FeO / 25.55 % Fe₂O₃

Hydrogen 3.39 % H 30.27 % H₂O

Sulfur 15.39 % S 38.43 % SO₃

Oxygen 58.88 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₄(SO₄)₆(OH)₂•20(H₂O)

Environment:

Oxidized iron sulfide deposits.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1833

Locality:

Copiapo, Chile. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Copiapite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 10276

Janosite

Misy

PDF 35-583

Copiapite Image

Images:

Copiapite

Comments: Brownish yellow tabular crystals of copiapite.
Location: Saghand, near Yazd, Yadz Province, Iran. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Rozenite Ferrinatrite Copiapite

Comments: White powdery rozenite coating with yellow ferrinatrite on purple copiapite.
Location: Le Cetine Mine, Siena, Tuscany, Italy. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Copiapite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.3852:1:0.3933

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.227, b = 18.76, c = 7.379, Z = 1; alpha = 91.46°, beta = 102.18°, gamma = 98.95° V = 965.69 Den(Calc)= 2.15

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 9.23(1), 18.4(1), 5.57(0.7),

Forms:

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

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Physical Properties of Copiapite

Cleavage:

{010} Perfect

Color:

Green, Green yellow, Yellow, Yellow green, Golden yellow.

Density:

2.1

Diaphaneity:

Translucent

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

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

Habit:

Scaly - Morphology like fish scales.

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Pearly

Magnetism:

Magnetic

Streak:

pale yellow

Optical Properties of Copiapite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.025 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2557,KPDmeas= 0.2617,KC= 0.2622
Ncalc = 1.55 - 1.56

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.506-1.54, b=1.528-1.549, g=1.575-1.6, bire=0.0600-0.0690, 2V(Calc)=48-72, 2V(Meas)=45-74. Dispersion none.

Pleochroism (x):

none.

Pleochroism (y):

none.

Calculated Properties of Copiapite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.14 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Copiapite =2.10 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.006178207
Boson Index = 0.993821793

Photoelectric:

PE_Copiapite= 7.42 barns/electron
U=PE_Copiapite x rElectron Density= 15.85 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Copiapite Classification

Dana Class:

31.10.05.01 (31)Hydrated Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(31.10)miscellaneous

(31.10.05)Copiapite Group

31.10.05.01 Copiapite FeFe4(SO4)6(OH)2•20(H2O) P1 1

31.10.05.02 Magnesiocopiapite MgFe4(SO4)6(OH)2•20(H2O) P1 1

31.10.05.03 Cuprocopiapite CuFe4(SO4)6(OH)2•20(H2O) P1 1

31.10.05.04 Ferricopiapite Fe2/3Fe4(SO4)6(OH)2•20(H2O) P1 1

31.10.05.05 Calciocopiapite CaFe4(SO4)6(OH)2•19(H2O) P1 1

31.10.05.06 Zincocopiapite ZnFe4(SO4)6(OH)2•18(H2O) P1 1

31.10.05.07 Aluminocopiapite Al2/3Fe4(SO4)6O(OH)2•20(H2O) P1 1

Strunz Class:

07.DB.35 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)

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

07.DB -With only medium-sized cations; insular octahedra and finite groups

07.DB.35 Aluminocopiapite Al2/3Fe4(SO4)6O(OH)2•20(H2O) P1 1

07.DB.35 Copiapite FeFe4(SO4)6(OH)2•20(H2O) P1 1

07.DB.35 Calciocopiapite CaFe4(SO4)6(OH)2•19(H2O) P1 1

07.DB.35 Cuprocopiapite CuFe4(SO4)6(OH)2•20(H2O) P1 1

07.DB.35 Ferricopiapite Fe2/3Fe4(SO4)6(OH)2•20(H2O) P1 1

07.DB.35 Magnesiocopiapite MgFe4(SO4)6(OH)2•20(H2O) P1 1

07.DB.35 Zincocopiapite ZnFe4(SO4)6(OH)2•18(H2O) P1 1

Other Copiapite Information

See Also:

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

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Copiapite

Fe++Fe+++4(SO4)6(OH)2•20(H2O)
Dana No: 31.10.05.01 Strunz No: 07.DB.35
Locality:

Notes:

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