Jarosite Mineral Data

General Jarosite Information

Chemical Formula:

KFe+++3(SO4)2(OH)6

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 500.81 gm

Potassium 7.81 % K 9.40 % K₂O

Iron 33.45 % Fe 47.83 % Fe₂O₃

Hydrogen 1.21 % H 10.79 % H₂O

Sulfur 12.81 % S 31.97 % SO₃

Oxygen 44.73 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

KFe³⁺₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₆

Environment:

Secondary mineral, forming under conditions of weathering in arid climates.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1852

Locality:

Barranco Jaroso in southern Spain. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality.

Name Pronunciation:

Jarosite

Synonym:

ICSD 12107

PDF 36-427

Utahite

Jarosite Image

Images:

Alunogen Jarosite

Comments: Colorless to white, tabular crystals alunogen on reddish jarosite.
Location: Ronneburg U deposit, Gera district, Thuringia, Germany. Scale: Picture size 5 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Images:

Fairbankite Jarosite

Comments: Colorless to white crystals of fairbankite with orangish brown jarosite.
Location: Tombstone, Tombstone District, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA. Scale: Picture size 1.5 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Images:

Jarosite

Comments: Deep brown lustrous crystals of Jarosite to 2 mm.
Location: Soureza, Attika, Greece. Scale: 2.8 x 1.6 cm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Winstanleyite Jarosite

Comments: Small, yellow octahedral crystal of winstanleyite on brownish red jarosite.
Location: Tombstone, Tombstone District, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA. Scale: Picture size 0.9 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Jarosite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:2.36199

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.21, c = 17.03, Z = 3; V = 766.68 Den(Calc)= 3.25

Crystal System:

Trigonal - Pyramidal H-M Symbol (3) Space Group: R 3

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.08(1), 3.11(0.6), 2.292(0.5),

Forms:

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

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Physical Properties of Jarosite

Cleavage:

{0001} Distinct

Color:

Brown, Yellow, Yellow brown, Light yellow.

Density:

2.9 - 3.3, Average = 3.09

Diaphaneity:

Translucent

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Crystalline - Fine - Occurs as well-formed fine sized crystals.

Habit:

Fibrous - Crystals made up of fibers.

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

2.5-3.5 - Finger Nail-Copper Penny

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

yellow

Optical Properties of Jarosite

Dichroism (e):

colorless, very pale yellow, or pale greenish yellow.

Dichroism (w):

colorless, deep golden yellow, or deep golden yellow.

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.059 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.102 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2356,KPDmeas= 0.247,KC= 0.2624
Ncalc = 1.76 - 1.87

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.713-1.715, w=1.815-1.82, bire=0.1020-0.1050.

Calculated Properties of Jarosite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.06 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Jarosite =3.10 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0082785281
Boson Index = 0.9917214719

Photoelectric:

PE_Jarosite= 11.47 barns/electron
U=PE_Jarosite x r_electron= 35.09 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 111.13 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Jarosite per GRapi unit = 0.90 (%)

Estimated Radioactivity from Jarosite - barely detectable

Jarosite Classification

Dana Class:

30.02.05.01 (30)Anhydrous Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(30.02)where (A B)2 XO4 Zq

(30.02.05)Alunite Group (Jarosite Subgroup)

30.02.05.01 Jarosite KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3 3

30.02.05.02 Natrojarosite NaFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

30.02.05.03 Hydroniumjarosite (H3O)Fe3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

30.02.05.04 Ammoniojarosite (NH4)Fe3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

30.02.05.05 Argentojarosite AgFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

30.02.05.06 Plumbojarosite PbFe6(SO4)4(OH)12 R 3m 3 2/m

30.02.05.07 Beaverite PbCu(Fe,Al)2(SO4)2(OH)6 R 3m 3m

30.02.05.08 Dorallcharite (Tl,K)Fe3(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 Jarosite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Heinrich65)

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

Jarosite

KFe+++3(SO4)2(OH)6
Dana No: 30.02.05.01 Strunz No: 07.BC.10
Locality:

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