Mitscherlichite Mineral Data

General Mitscherlichite Information

Chemical Formula:

K2CuCl4•2(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 319.58 gm

Potassium 24.47 % K 29.47 % K₂O

Copper 19.88 % Cu 24.89 % CuO

Hydrogen 1.26 % H 11.27 % H₂O

Chlorine 44.37 % Cl 44.37 % Cl

- % Cl -10.01 % -O=Cl₂

Oxygen 10.01 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

K₂CuCl₄•2(H₂O)

Environment:

Saline sublimations.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1925

Locality:

Crater of Vesuvius, Campania, Italy. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for Eilhardt Mitscherlich (1794-1863), German crystallographer and chemist, who first synthesized the compound.

Name Pronunciation:

Mitscherlichite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 16052

PDF 23-478

Mitscherlichite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:1.05771

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.45, c = 7.88, Z = 2; V = 437.36 Den(Calc)= 2.43

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal H-M Symbol (4/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P 4₁/mnm

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.64(1), 2.71(0.95), 5.42(0.7),

Physical Properties of Mitscherlichite

Color:

Green, Green blue.

Density:

2.418

Diaphaneity:

Transparent to translucent

Habit:

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

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Optical Properties of Mitscherlichite

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.615, w=1.637, bire=0.0220.

Calculated Properties of Mitscherlichite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.36 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Mitscherlichite =2.43 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0000793149
Boson Index = 0.9999206851

Photoelectric:

PE_{Mitscherlichite}= 14.06 barns/electron
U=PE_{Mitscherlichite} x r_electron= 33.14 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 342.46 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Concentration of Mitscherlichite per GRapi unit = 0.29 (%)

Estimated Radioactivity from Mitscherlichite - barely detectable

Mitscherlichite Classification

Dana Class:

11.03.02.01 (11)Halide Complexes; Alumino-fluorides

(11.03)where (A)m B (X)4 ï¿½ x(H2O)

(11.03.02)Dana Group

11.03.02.01 Mitscherlichite K2CuCl4•2(H2O) P 4₁/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

03.CJ.15 03 - HALIDES

03.C - Complex Halides

03.CJ -With MX6 complexes; M = Fe, Mn, Cu

03.CJ.15 Mitscherlichite K2CuCl4•2(H2O) P 4₁/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

Other Mitscherlichite Information

References:

NAME( AntBidBlaNic3) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Mitscherlichite :
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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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Mitscherlichite Specimen Label here :

Mitscherlichite

K2CuCl4•2(H2O)
Dana No: 11.03.02.01 Strunz No: 03.CJ.15
Locality:

Notes: