Alpersite  Mineral Data

Alpersite Mineral Data

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General Alpersite Information

Help on Chemical  Formula: Chemical Formula: (Mg,Cu)SO4•7H2O
Help on Composition: Composition: Molecular Weight = 262.74 gm
   Magnesium   5.37 %  Mg    8.90 % MgO
   Manganese   0.42 %  Mn    0.54 % MnO
   Zinc        0.50 %  Zn    0.62 % ZnO
   Iron        0.21 %  Fe    0.27 % FeO
   Copper      8.95 %  Cu   11.20 % CuO
   Hydrogen    5.37 %  H    48.00 % H2O
   Sulfur     12.20 %  S    30.47 % SO3
   Oxygen     66.98 %  O
             ______        ______ 
             100.00 %      100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE
Help on Empirical Formula: Empirical Formula: Mg0.58Cu0.37Zn0.02Mn2+0.02Fe2+0.01(SO4)•7(H2O)
Help on Environment: Environment: Formed from acid mine waste waters with mineralogically zoned assemblages in sheltered areas at a relative humidity of 65% and T = 4 °C. Dehydrates to cuprian pentahydrate. Mg-domin ant analog of melanterite.
Help on IMA Status: IMA Status: Approved IMA 2003 (Dana # Added)
Help on Locality: Locality: Big Mike mine located on the south side of Panther Canyon, on the west flank of the north end of the Tobin Range, Pershing County, Nevada, USA. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.
Help on Name Origin: Name Origin: Named after Charles N. Alpers, geochemist with the United States Geological Survey, who has made significant contributions to our understanding of the mineralogical controls of mine -water geochemistry.
Help on Synonym: Synonym: IMA2003-040
 

Alpersite Image

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Alpersite

Comments: Bright blue efforescence associated with pickeringite, alunogen, and epsomite. Pickeringite and alunogen (white and yellow) occur on top of a matte of alpersite (blue) adjacent to a concrete wall.
Location: Big Mike mine, Nevada. Scale: Picture size 50 cm.
© American Mineralogist

Alpersite Crystallography

Help on Axial Ratios: Axial Ratios: a:b:c =2.168:1:1.6587
Help on Cell Dimensions: Cell Dimensions: a = 14.166, b = 6.534, c = 10.838, Z = 4; beta = 105.922° V = 964.69 Den(Calc)= 1.81
Help on Crystal System: Crystal System: Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 21/c
Help on X Ray Diffraction: X Ray Diffraction: By Intensity(I/Io): 4.85(1), 3.779(0.38), 4.44(0.16),3.254(0.15), 3.663(0.15), 2.721(0.14), 3.078(0.14), 4.79(0.14),
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Peterson R C , Hammarstrom J M , Seal II R R , American Mineralogist , 91 (2006) p.261-269, Alpersite (Mg,Cu)SO4*7H2O, a new mineral of the melanterite group, and cuprian, pentahydrite: Their occurrence within mine waste, Locality: Big Mike mine, Nevada, USA

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Alpersite
[1]
 

Physical Properties of Alpersite

Help on Cleavage: Cleavage: {001} Good
Help on Color: Color: Blue.
Help on Diaphaneity: Diaphaneity: Transparent
Help on Fracture: Fracture: Brittle - Uneven - Very brittle fracture producing uneven fragments.
Help on Habit: Habit: Efflorescences - Crystals covering matrix, generally produced from transpiro-evaporation.
Help on Hardness: Hardness: 2.5 - Finger Nail
Help on Luster: Luster: Vitreous (Glassy)
Help on Streak: Streak: white
 

Optical Properties of Alpersite

Help on Gladstone-Dale: Gladstone-Dale: CI calc= -0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2571,KC= 0.2565
Ncalc = 1.46
Help on Optical Data: Optical Data: Biaxial (+), a=1.462, b=1.465, g=1.469, bire=0.0070, 2V(Calc)=82, 2V(Meas)=79.8. Dispersion r > v weak.
 

Calculated Properties of Alpersite

Help on Electron Density: Electron Density: Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.89 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Alpersite =1.81 gm/cc.
Help on Fermion Index: Fermion Index: Fermion Index = 0.0068592789
Boson Index = 0.9931407211
Help on Photoelectric: Photoelectric: PEAlpersite = 5.00 barns/electron
U=PEAlpersite x rElectron Density= 9.44 barns/cc.
Help on Radioactivity: Radioactivity: GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Alpersite is Not Radioactive
 

Alpersite Classification

Help on  Dana Class: Dana Class: 29.06.10.06 (29)Hydrated Acid and Sulfates
  (29.06)where A XO4 · x(H2O)
  (29.06.10)Melanterite Group (Heptahydrates, Monoclinic: P21/c)
 
29.06.10.01 Melanterite FeSO4•7(H2O) P 21/c 2/m
 
29.06.10.02 Boothite CuSO4•7(H2O) P 21/c 2/m
 
29.06.10.03 Zincmelanterite (Zn,Cu,Fe)SO4•7(H2O) P 21/c 2/m
 
29.06.10.04 Bieberite CoSO4•7(H2O) P 21/c 2/m
 
29.06.10.05 Mallardite MnSO4•7(H2O) P 21/c 2/m
 
29.06.10.06 Alpersite! (Mg,Cu)SO4•7H2O P 21/c 2/m
Help on  Strunz Class: Strunz Class: 07.CB.35 07 - SULFATES (SELENATES, TELLURATES)
  07.C - Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without Additional Anions, with H2O
  07.CB -With only medium-sized cations
 
07.CB.35 Bieberite CoSO4•7(H2O) P 21/c 2/m
 
07.CB.35 Boothite CuSO4•7(H2O) P 21/c 2/m
 
07.CB.35 Mallardite MnSO4•7(H2O) P 21/c 2/m
 
07.CB.35 Melanterite FeSO4•7(H2O) P 21/c 2/m
 
07.CB.35 Zincmelanterite (Zn,Cu,Fe)SO4•7(H2O) P 21/c 2/m
 
07.CB.35 Alpersite! (Mg,Cu)SO4•7H2O P 21/c 2/m
 

Other Alpersite Information

Help on References: References: NAME( AmMin, v91, p261) PHYS. PROP.(AmMin, v91, p261) OPTIC PROP.(AmMin, v91, p261)
Help on See Also: See Also: Links to other databases for Alpersite :
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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Alpersite

(Mg,Cu)SO4•7H2O
Dana No: 29.06.10.06 Strunz No: 07.CB.35
Locality:

 

Notes: