Chalcanthite Mineral Data

Chalcanthite Mineral Data +

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General Chalcanthite Information

Chemical Formula:

CuSO4·5(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 249.69 gm

Copper 25.45 % Cu 31.86 % CuO

Hydrogen 4.04 % H 36.08 % H₂O

Sulfur 12.84 % S 32.07 % SO₃

Oxygen 57.67 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu(SO₄)·5(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary, formed in arid climates or in rapidly oxidizing copper deposits.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) Prehistoric

Locality:

Walls and timbers of copper mines. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek chalkos, "copper" and anthos, "flower." Generally pseudomorphous after Boothite.

Synonym:

Blue Vitrol

Copper Vitrol

ICSD 20657

PDF 11-646

Chalcanthite Image

Images:

Click Here for Larger Chalcanthite Image

Chalcanthite Chalcocyanite

Comments: White to pale bluish chalcocyanite with darker bluish chalcanthite. The mineral is hygroscopic and must be stored in a closed box.
Location: Ronneburg U deposit, Gera district, Thuringia, Germany. Scale: Picture size 4 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Images:

Chalcanthite Dolerophanite Fedotovite

Comments: Brown crystals of dolerophanite with blue chalcanthite and green fedotovite.
Location: Great Fissure (Main Fracture) eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka Oblast', Far-Eastern Region, Russia. Scale: Picture size 3 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Images:

Chalcanthite Fedotovite

Comments: Green fedotovite with pale blue chalcanthite.
Location: Great Fissure (Main Fracture) eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka Oblast', Far-Eastern Region, Russia. Scale: Picture size 4 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Images:

Chalcanthite

Comments: Fibrous columnar crystalline chalcanthite.
Location: Planet Mine, La Paz County, Arizona, USA. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Chalcanthite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.5719:1:0.5579

Cell Dimensions:

a = 6.12, b = 10.7, c = 5.97, Z = 2; alpha = 97.583°, beta = 107.167°, gamma = 77.55° V = 361.55 Den(Calc)= 2.29

Crystal System:

Triclinic - PinacoidalH-M Symbol ( 1) Space Group: P1

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 4.73(1), 3.71(0.85), 3.99(0.6),

Forms:

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Forms: [ 0 2 1] [ 0 1 0] [ 1 3 0] [ 1 1 0] [ 1 1 1] [ 1 0 0]

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Crystal Structure:

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Bacon G E , Titterton D H , Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie , 141 (1975) p.330-341, Neutron-diffraction studies of CuSO4*5(H2O) and CuSO4*5(D2O)

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Chalcanthite
[1]

Physical Properties of Chalcanthite

Cleavage:

[110] Imperfect, [110] Indistinct, [111] Indistinct

Color:

Green, Green blue, Light blue, Dark blue.

Density:

2.12 - 2.3, Average = 2.21

Diaphaniety:

Subtransparent to translucent

Fracture:

Conchoidal - Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces, (e.g. quartz).

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Reniform - "Kidney like" in shape (e.g.. hematite).

Habit:

Stalactitic - Shaped like pendant columns as stalactites or stalagmites (e.g. calcite).

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Chalcanthite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.034 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.002 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.233,KPDmeas= 0.2415,KC= 0.2336

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.516, b=1.539, g=1.546, bire=0.0300, 2V(Calc)=56, 2V(Meas)=56. Dispersion none.

Calculated Properties of Chalcanthite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.33 gm/cc
note: r_Chalcanthite=2.29 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00124
Boson Index = 0.99876

Photoelectric:

PE_Chalcanthite= 11.43 barns/electron
U=PE_Chalcanthite x r_electron= 26.63 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Chalcanthite is Not Radioactive

Chalcanthite Classification

Dana Class:

29.6.7.1 (29)Hydrated Acid and Sulfates

(29.6)where A XO4 · x(H2O)

(29.6.7)Chalchanthite Group (Triclinic: P1¯)

29.6.7.1 Chalcanthite CuSO4·5(H2O) P1 1

29.6.7.2 Siderotil FeSO4·5(H2O) P1 1

29.6.7.3 Pentahydrite MgSO4·5(H2O) P1 1

29.6.7.4 Jokokuite MnSO4·5(H2O) P1 1

Strunz Class:

VI/C.04-40 VI - Sulfates,Chromates,Molybdates and Tungstates

VI/C - Water-bearing sulfates without unfamiliar anions. cations of medium size

VI/C.04 - Chalcanthite group

VI/C.04-10 Pentahydrite MgSO4·5(H2O) P1 1

VI/C.04-20 Siderotil FeSO4·5(H2O) P1 1

VI/C.04-30 Jokokuite MnSO4·5(H2O) P1 1

VI/C.04-40 Chalcanthite CuSO4·5(H2O) P1 1

Other Chalcanthite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

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Chalcanthite

CuSO4·5(H2O)
Dana No: 29.6.7.1 Strunz No: VI/C.04-40
Locality:

Notes: