Siderite Mineral Data

Siderite Mineral Data +

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General Siderite Information

Chemical Formula:

Fe++CO3

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 115.86 gm

Iron 48.20 % Fe 62.01 % FeO

Carbon 10.37 % C 37.99 % CO₂

Oxygen 41.43 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Fe²⁺(CO₃)

Environment:

Primarily bedded, biosedimentary deposits, also in metamorphic and igneous rocks. Forms a series with rhocochrosite.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1845

Locality:

Common world wide. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek sideros, "iron."

Synonym:

Chalybite

ICSD 100678

Iron spar

PDF 29-696

Spathose iron

Siderite Image

Images:

Siderite Arsenopyrite

Comments: White, metallic arsenopyrite and tan siderite crystals.
Location: Panasqueira (2000, 3rd level), in the region of Beira Baixa, Portugal. Scale: 11 x 7 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Images:

Siderite

Comments: Blocky siderite crystals on quartz.
Location: Panasqueira (2nd level), in the region of Beira Baixa, Portugal. Scale: 7 x 8 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Images:

Siderite

Comments: Bladed siderite crystal groups on crystallized quartz matrix.
Location: Peyrebrune, Tarn, France. Scale: 8.7 x 6.5 x 4.7 cm.
© Fabre Minerals

Images:

Siderite Garronite

Comments: Translucent white micro crystals of garronite on brown siderite crystals.
Location: Mont Saint Hilaire, Quebec, Canada. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Siderite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:3.27542

Cell Dimensions:

a = 4.72, c = 15.46, Z = 6; V = 298.28 Den(Calc)= 3.87

Crystal System:

Trigonal - Hexagonal ScalenohedralH-M Symbol (3 2/m) Space Group: R 3c

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.79(1), 1.734(0.8), 3.59(0.6),

Forms:

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Forms: [ 1 1 0] [ 1 1 1] [ 0 0 1]

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Crystal Structure:

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Graf D L , American Mineralogist , 46 (1961) p.1283-1316, Crystallographic tables for the rhombohedral carbonates

Physical Properties of Siderite

Cleavage:

[1011] Perfect, [1011] Perfect, [1011] Perfect

Color:

Yellowish brown, Brown, Gray, Yellowish gray, Greenish gray.

Density:

3.96

Diaphaniety:

Translucent to subtranslucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

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

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

3.5 - Copper Penny

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Siderite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.081 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.06 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1849,KPDmeas= 0.1807,KC= 0.1967

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (-), e=1.57-1.633, w=1.785-1.875, bire=0.2150-0.2420.

Calculated Properties of Siderite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.74 gm/cc
note: r_Siderite=3.87 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01155
Boson Index = 0.98845

Photoelectric:

PE_Siderite= 14.62 barns/electron
U=PE_Siderite x r_electron= 54.68 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Siderite is Not Radioactive

Siderite Classification

Dana Class:

14.1.1.3 (14)Anhydrous Carbonates

(14.1)with Simple Formula A+ CO3

(14.1.1)Calcite Group (Trigonal: R3¯c)

14.1.1.1 Calcite CaCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.2 Magnesite MgCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.3 Siderite FeCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.4 Rhodochrosite MnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.5 Sphaerocobaltite CoCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.6 Smithsonite ZnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.7 Otavite CdCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

14.1.1.8 Gaspeite (Ni,Mg,Fe)CO3 R 3c 3 2/m

Strunz Class:

V/B.02-40 V - Nitrates, Carbonates and Borates

V/B - Waterfree carbonates [CO3]2- without unfamiliar anions

V/B.02 - Calcite group

V/B.02-10 Vaterite CaCO3 P 6₃/mmc 6/m 2/m 2/m

V/B.02-20 Calcite CaCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-30 Magnesite MgCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-40 Siderite FeCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-50 Rhodochrosite MnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-60 Smithsonite ZnCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-70 Sphaerocobaltite CoCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-80 Gaspeite (Ni,Mg,Fe)CO3 R 3c 3 2/m

V/B.02-90 Otavite CdCO3 R 3c 3 2/m

Other Siderite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Mason68)

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Siderite

Fe++CO3
Dana No: 14.1.1.3 Strunz No: V/B.02-40
Locality:

Notes: