Mixite Mineral Data

Mixite Mineral Data +

General Mixite Information

Chemical Formula:

BiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,163.10 gm

Copper 32.78 % Cu 41.03 % CuO

Bismuth 17.97 % Bi 20.03 % Bi₂O₃

Arsenic 19.32 % As 29.64 % As₂O₅

Hydrogen 1.04 % H 9.29 % H₂O

Oxygen 28.89 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

BiCu₆(AsO₄)₃(OH)₆·3(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary mineral in bismuth-bearing ores.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1880

Locality:

Jáchymov (St Joachimsthal), Krusné Hory (Erzgebirge), Západoceský Kraj, Bohemia, Czech Republic Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after the mining engineer, A. Mixa from Jachymov, Czechoslovakia.

Synonym:

ICSD 70117

PDF 13-414

Mixite Image

Images:

Mixite

Comments: Vuggy quartz matrix with green radial sprays of mixite crystals.
Location: Northern Star mine, Tintic district, Utah, USA. Scale: 6 x 5 x 4 cm.
© John Veevaert

Mixite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.43286

Cell Dimensions:

a = 13.63, c = 5.9, Z = 2; V = 949.24 Den(Calc)= 4.07

Crystal System:

Hexagonal - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (6/m) Space Group: P 6₃/m

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 12(1), 2.46(0.9), 3.57(0.8),

Crystal Structure:

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Miletich R , Zemann J , Nowak M , Physics and Chemistry of Minerals , 24 (1997) p.411-422, Reversible hydration in synthetic mixite, BiCu6(OH)6(AsO4)3.nH2O(n<=3):, hydration kinetics and crystal chemistry, Sample: H20

View Additional jPOWD Structure files for Mixite
[1] [2]

Physical Properties of Mixite

Color:

Blue green, Yellow green, White, Light blue, Light green.

Density:

3.8

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Radial - Crystals radiate from a center without producing stellar forms (e.g. stibnite)

Hardness:

3.5-4 - Copper Penny-Fluorite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Adamantine

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

pale green

Optical Properties of Mixite

Dichroism (e):

almost colorless.

Dichroism (w):

fine green.

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.126 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.051 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1892,KPDmeas= 0.2026,KC= 0.18

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (+), w=1.73, e=1.81, bire=0.0800.

Calculated Properties of Mixite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.75 gm/cc
note: r_Mixite=4.07 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00014
Boson Index = 0.99986

Photoelectric:

PE_Mixite= 342.30 barns/electron
U=PE_Mixite x r_electron=1,284.05 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Mixite is Not Radioactive

Mixite Classification

Dana Class:

42.5.1.1 (42)Hydrated Phosphates, etc., Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(42.5)where (A)2 (XO4) Zq · x(H2O)

(42.5.1)Mixite group (Arsenate Series)

42.5.1.1 Mixite BiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

42.5.1.2 Agardite-(Y) (Y,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

42.5.1.2a Agardite-(La)! (La,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

42.5.1.2b Agardite-(Nd)! (Pb,Nd,Y,La,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) 6/m

42.5.1.2c Agardite-(Dy)! (Dy,La,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) 6/m

42.5.1.2d Agardite-(Ca)! CaCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) 6/m

42.5.1.2e Agardite-(Ce)! (Ce,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

42.5.1.3 Goudeyite (Al,Y)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) Unk Hex

42.5.1.4 Zalesiite! (Ca,Y)Cu6[(AsO4)2(AsO3OH)(OH)6]·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

42.5.1.6 IMA2003-031a! (Pb,REE,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

Strunz Class:

VII/D.53-90 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

VII/D - Water-bearing phosphates with unfamiliar anions, cations of very big and medium size: Al, Mg and Ca, Na, K

VII/D.53 - Mixite - Agardite group

VII/D.53-10 Petersite-(Y) (Y,Ce,Nd,Ca)Cu6(PO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/D.53-20 Goudeyite (Al,Y)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) Unk Hex

VII/D.53-30 Zalesiite! (Ca,Y)Cu6[(AsO4)2(AsO3OH)(OH)6]·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/D.53-40 Agardite-(Y) (Y,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/D.53-50 Agardite-(La)! (La,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/D.53-60 Agardite-(Ce)! (Ce,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/D.53-70 Agardite-(Nd)! (Pb,Nd,Y,La,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) 6/m

VII/D.53-80 Agardite-(Dy)! (Dy,La,Ca)Cu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) 6/m

VII/D.53-90 Mixite BiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O) P 6₃/m 6/m

VII/D.53-95 Juanitaite! (Cu,Ca,Fe)10Bi(AsO4)4(OH)11·2(H2O) P 4₁/nnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

VII/D.53-100 Mrazekite Bi2Cu3(PO4)2O2(OH)2·2(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

Other Mixite Information

References:

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

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Mixite

BiCu6(AsO4)3(OH)6·3(H2O)
Dana No: 42.5.1.1 Strunz No: VII/D.53-90
Locality:

Notes: