Melanterite Mineral Data

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General Melanterite Information

Chemical Formula:

Fe++SO4•7(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 278.02 gm

Iron 20.09 % Fe 25.84 % FeO

Hydrogen 5.08 % H 45.36 % H₂O

Sulfur 11.53 % S 28.80 % SO₃

Oxygen 63.30 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Fe²⁺(SO₄)•7(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary mineral formed by the oxidation of iron sulfide minerals.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1850

Locality:

Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek melas, "black."

Name Pronunciation:

Melanterite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

Copperas

Green Vitrol

ICSD 16589

PDF 22-633

Pistanite (copper bearing)

Melanterite Image

Images:

Melanterite

Comments: Deep greenish blue encrustation of melanterite. The pistanite variety is copper-bearing where Cu replaces some of the Fe in the crystal structure.
Location: Patagonia District, Arizona, USA. Scale: 5 x 9.5 cm.
© John Veevaert

Melanterite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =2.1674:1:1.6927

Cell Dimensions:

a = 14.11, b = 6.51, c = 11.02, Z = 4; beta = 105.25° V = 976.61 Den(Calc)= 1.89

Crystal System:

Monoclinic - PrismaticH-M Symbol (2/m) Space Group: P 2₁/c

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 4.9(1), 3.78(0.64), 3.23(0.2),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 1 0 3) ( 1 0 1) ( 0 1 1) ( 1 1 0) ( 0 0 1)

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Crystal Structure:

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Peterson R C , The Canadian Mineralogist , 41 (2003) p.937-949, The relatinship between Cu content and distortion in the atomic structure, of melanterite from the Richmond mine, Iron Mountain, California, Sample: melant8, Locality: Richmond mine, Iron Mountain, California

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Melanterite
[1] [10] [11] [12] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Physical Properties of Melanterite

Cleavage:

{001} Perfect, {110} Distinct

Color:

Green, Yellow green, Brownish black, Bluish green, Greenish white.

Density:

1.89 - 1.9, Average = 1.89

Diaphaneity:

Subtransparent to translucent

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Capillary - Very slender and long, like a thread or hair (e.g. millerite).

Habit:

Efflorescences - Crystals covering matrix, generally produced from transpiro-evaporation.

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Hardness:

2 - Gypsum

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Melanterite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.006 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.003 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.253,KPDmeas= 0.2523,KC= 0.2538
Ncalc = 1.48

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.47-1.471, b=1.4765-1.4795, g=1.486, bire=0.0150-0.0160, 2V(Calc)=80, 2V(Meas)=86. Dispersion none.

Pleochroism (x):

none.

Pleochroism (y):

Calculated Properties of Melanterite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=1.96 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Melanterite =1.89 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.00543507
Boson Index = 0.99456493

Photoelectric:

PE_Melanterite= 6.48 barns/electron
U=PE_Melanterite x rElectron Density= 12.68 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

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

Melanterite Classification

Dana Class:

29.06.10.01 (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

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 Melanterite Information

References:

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

See Also:

Links to other databases for Melanterite :
1 - Alkali-Nuts(English)
2 - Alkali-Nuts(Francais)
3 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
4 - Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery
5 - Athena
6 - CalTech Mineral Spectroscopy
7 - EUROmin Project
8 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
9 - GeoScienceWorld
10 - Google Images
11 - Google Scholar
12 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
13 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
14 - MinDAT
15 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
16 - NSDL Reciprocal Net (JAVA)
17 - Online Mineral Museum
18 - QUT Mineral Atlas
19 - Ruff.Info
20 - WWW-MINCRYST

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

Melanterite

Fe++SO4•7(H2O)
Dana No: 29.06.10.01 Strunz No: 07.CB.35
Locality:

Notes: