Glaukosphaerite Mineral Data

General Glaukosphaerite Information

Chemical Formula:

(Cu,Ni)2(CO3)(OH)2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 218.69 gm

Copper 43.59 % Cu 54.56 % CuO

Nickel 13.42 % Ni 17.08 % NiO

Hydrogen 0.92 % H 8.24 % H₂O

Carbon 5.49 % C 20.12 % CO₂

Oxygen 36.58 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu_1.5Ni_0.5(CO₃)(OH)₂

Environment:

Secondary mineral in the oxidized portions of Cu-Ni sulfide deposits.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1974

Locality:

Kambalda, Western Australia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named from the Greek for bluish green and spherical, the typical color and habit.

Name Pronunciation:

Glaukosphaerite + Pronunciation

Glaukosphaerite Image

Images:

Glaukosphaerite

Comments: Green botryoidal crust of glaukosphaerite.
Location: Carr-Boyd Nickel Mine, Western Australia, Australia. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Glaukosphaerite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.7829:1:0.2573

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.34, b = 11.93, c = 3.07, Z = 4; beta = 90° V = 342.08 Den(Calc)= 4.25

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/a

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.587(1), 3.68(0.7), 2.516(0.4),

Physical Properties of Glaukosphaerite

Cleavage:

{???} Good

Color:

Green.

Density:

3.78

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to Translucent

Hardness:

3-4 - Calcite-Fluorite

Luster:

Vitreous - Dull

Optical Properties of Glaukosphaerite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.072 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.046 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1843,KPDmeas= 0.2072,KC= 0.1933
Ncalc = 1.73 - 1.82

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.69, b=1.83, g=1.83, bire=0.1400

Calculated Properties of Glaukosphaerite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.10 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Glaukosphaerite =4.25 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0022974316
Boson Index = 0.9977025684

Photoelectric:

PE_{Glaukosphaerite}= 24.51 barns/electron
U=PE_{Glaukosphaerite} x rElectron Density= 100.52 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Glaukosphaerite Classification

Dana Class:

16a.03.01.02 (16a)Carbonates - Hydroxyl or Halogen

(16a.03)where (A B)2 (XO3) Zq

(16a.03.01)Rosasite Group

16a.03.01.01 Rosasite (Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

16a.03.01.02 Glaukosphaerite (Cu,Ni)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

16a.03.01.03 Kolwezite (Cu,Co)2(CO3)(OH)2 P1 or P1 Tri

16a.03.01.04 Zincrosasite (Zn,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

16a.03.01.05 Mcguinnessite (Mg,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2/a or P 2₁/a 2/m

Strunz Class:

05.BA.10 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.B - Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O

05.BA -With Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Mn

05.BA.10 Nullaginite Ni2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/m,P 2₁ Mono

05.BA.10 Georgeite Cu5(CO3)3(OH)4•6(H2O) None

05.BA.10 Malachite Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Glaukosphaerite (Cu,Ni)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Mcguinnessite (Mg,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2/a or P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Kolwezite (Cu,Co)2(CO3)(OH)2 P1 or P1 Tri

05.BA.10 Pokrovskite Mg2(CO3)(OH)2•0.5(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Rosasite (Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Zincrosasite (Zn,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

05.BA.10 Chukanovite! Fe2(CO3)(OH)2 P 2₁/a 2/m

Other Glaukosphaerite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic3) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Glaukosphaerite :
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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Glaukosphaerite

(Cu,Ni)2(CO3)(OH)2
Dana No: 16a.03.01.02 Strunz No: 05.BA.10
Locality:

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