Skorpionite Mineral Data

General Skorpionite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ca3Zn2(PO4)2CO3(OH)2•H2O

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 552.09 gm

Calcium 22.14 % Ca 30.98 % CaO

Zinc 23.21 % Zn 28.89 % ZnO

Phosphorus 11.16 % P 25.58 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 0.73 % H 6.56 % H₂O

Carbon 2.18 % C 7.97 % CO₂

Oxygen 40.57 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 99.99 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ca_3.05Zn_1.96(PO₄)_1.99(CO₃)(OH)_2.06•0.98(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary mineral in zinc mine. New structure type.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 2005 (Dana # Added)

Locality:

Skorpion zinc deposit, Namibia Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the locality.

Synonym:

IMA2005-010

Skorpionite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =2.0434:1:0.7001

Cell Dimensions:

a = 19.045, b = 9.32, c = 6.525, Z = 4; beta = 92.73° V = 1,156.87 Den(Calc)= 3.17

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - Prismatic H-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: C 2/c

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.17(1), 2.788(0.67), 9.501(0.53),3.063(0.42), 5.32(0.3), 2.26(0.21), 2.582(0.21),

Physical Properties of Skorpionite

Color:

White, Colorless.

Density:

3.15

Diaphaneity:

Transparent

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Skorpionite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.011 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.004 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1975,KPDmeas= 0.1988,KC= 0.1966
Ncalc = 1.62

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.5884, b=1.6445, g=1.6455, bire=0.0571

Calculated Properties of Skorpionite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=3.12 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Skorpionite =3.17 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.01
Boson Index = 0.99

Photoelectric:

PE_Skorpionite= 14.61 barns/electron
U=PE_Skorpionite x rElectron Density= 45.58 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Skorpionite Classification

Dana Class:

43.05.24.01 (43)Compound Phosphates, etc.

(43.05)(Hydrated Compound Anions With Hydroxyl or Halogen)

(43.05.24)Dana Group

43.05.24.01 Skorpionite! Ca3Zn2(PO4)2CO3(OH)2•H2O C 2/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

08.DO.45 08 - PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES

08.D - Phosphates, etc

08.DO -With CO3, SO4, SiO4

08.DO.45 Skorpionite! Ca3Zn2(PO4)2CO3(OH)2•H2O C 2/c 2/m

Other Skorpionite Information

References:

NAME( AmMin, v94:403) PHYS. PROP.(AmMin, v94:403) OPTIC PROP.(AmMin, v94:403)

See Also:

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

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Skorpionite

Ca3Zn2(PO4)2CO3(OH)2•H2O
Dana No: 43.05.24.01 Strunz No: 08.DO.45
Locality:

Notes:

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