Pseudomalachite Mineral Data

Pseudomalachite Mineral Data +

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General Pseudomalachite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu5(PO4)2(OH)4

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 524.68 gm

Copper 60.56 % Cu 75.80 % CuO

Phosphorus 11.81 % P 27.05 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 0.19 % H 1.72 % H₂O

Oxygen 27.44 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 104.57 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu₅(PO₄)₂(OH)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1813

Locality:

Virneberg Mine, Rheinbreitbach, Westerwald, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From ghe Greek, pseudo - "false" and malachite.

Synonym:

Dihydrite

Ehlite

ICSD 10418

Lunnite

PDF 36-408

Pseudomalachite Image

Images:

Click Here for Larger Pseudomalachite Image

Pseudomalachite Halloysite

Comments: Deep green pseudomalachite crystals on cuprous halloysite.
Location: Black Pine Mine, Philipsburg, Granite Co., Montana, USA. Scale: Crystal size 1-2 mm.
© John Veevaert

Pseudomalachite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =2.9618:1:0.7795

Cell Dimensions:

a = 17.06, b = 5.76, c = 4.49, Z = 2; beta = 91.067° V = 441.14 Den(Calc)= 3.95

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 4.49(1), 2.386(0.7), 2.443(0.6),

Crystal Structure:

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Shoemaker G L , Anderson J B , Kostiner E , American Mineralogist , 62 (1977) p.1042-1048, Refinement of the crystal structure of pseudomalachite

Physical Properties of Pseudomalachite

Cleavage:

[010] Imperfect

Color:

Blue green, Green, Dark green, Black green.

Density:

3.6 - 4.34, Average = 3.97

Diaphaniety:

Translucent

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Botryoidal - "Grape-like" rounded forms (e.g.. malachite).

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Habit:

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

Hardness:

4-5 - Fluorite-Apatite

Luster:

Vitreous - Greasy

Streak:

bluish green

Optical Properties of Pseudomalachite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.146 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.152 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2122,KPDmeas= 0.2111,KC= 0.1842

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.791, b=1.856, g=1.867, bire=0.0760, 2V(Calc)=42, 2V(Meas)=48.

Calculated Properties of Pseudomalachite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.75 gm/cc
note: r_{Pseudomalachite}=3.97 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00013
Boson Index = 0.99987

Photoelectric:

PE_{Pseudomalachite}= 27.53 barns/electron
U=PE_{Pseudomalachite} x r_electron= 103.32 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Pseudomalachite is Not Radioactive

Pseudomalachite Classification

Dana Class:

41.4.3.1 (41)Anhydrous Phosphates, etc. Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(41.4)where (A B)5 (XO4)2 Zq

(41.4.3)Dana Group

41.4.3.1 Pseudomalachite Cu5(PO4)2(OH)4 P 2₁/a 2/m

41.4.3.2 Reichenbachite Cu5(PO4)2(OH)4 P 2₁/a 2/m

41.4.3.3 Ludjibaite Cu5(PO4)2(OH)4 P1 1

Strunz Class:

VII/B.11-20 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

VII/B - Waterfree phosphates with unfamiliar anions F, Cl, O,OH, cations of medium size: Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pseudomalachite group and related compounds

VII/B.11 - Pseudomalachite group, Ludjibaite - Reppiaite series

VII/B.11-10 Ludjibaite Cu5(PO4)2(OH)4 P1 1

VII/B.11-20 Pseudomalachite Cu5(PO4)2(OH)4 P 2₁/a 2/m

VII/B.11-30 Reichenbachite Cu5(PO4)2(OH)4 P 2₁/a 2/m

VII/B.11-40 Cornwallite Cu5(AsO4)2(OH)4 P 2₁/a 2/m

VII/B.11-50 Cornubite Cu5(AsO4)2(OH)4 P1 1

VII/B.11-60 Turanite Cu5(VO4)2(OH)4 P1 1

VII/B.11-65 Gatehouseite Mn5(PO4)2(OH)4 P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

VII/B.11-70 Arsenoclasite Mn5(AsO4)2(OH)4 P 2₁2₁2₁ 2 2 2

VII/B.11-80 Reppiaite Mn5[(V,As)O4]2(OH)4 C 2/m 2/m

Other Pseudomalachite Information

References:

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

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Pseudomalachite

Cu5(PO4)2(OH)4
Dana No: 41.4.3.1 Strunz No: VII/B.11-20
Locality:

Notes: