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Caracolite

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Big Photo

Lolon Mine (Challacollo Mine), Challacollo, Iquique Province, Tarapacá Region, Chile
© D. Harries

Show Caracolite Photos (27)



Formula:
Na
 
3
Pb
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
Cl
System:MonoclinicColour:Colourless, grayish, ...
Hardness:4½
Name:After Caracoles, a town near the type locality of the Beatriz Mine, Sierra Gorda, Atacama, Chile.
This page provides mineralogical data about Caracolite.

Classification of Caracolite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/B.12-60
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.BD.20

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
B : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, without H2O
D : With only large cations
Dana 8th edition ID:30.3.2.1

30 : ANHYDROUS SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : (AB)5(XO4)3Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:26.25

26 : Sulphates with Halide
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Type Occurrence of Caracolite

Type Locality:Beatriz Mine, Caracoles, Sierra Gorda District, Antofagasta Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile
General Appearance of Type Material:Crystalline incrustations with pseudohexagonal crystals to 1mm.
Year of Discovery:1886
Associated Minerals at type locality:
PercyliteGalenaOxyplumboroméiteAnglesite

Physical Properties of Caracolite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless, grayish, greenish stained; colourless in transmitted light.
Hardness (Mohs):4½
Cleavage:None Observed
Density (measured):5.1 g/cm3
Comment:Measured density approximate.

Crystallography of Caracolite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 19.62Å, b = 7.14Å, c = 9.81Å
β = 120°
Ratio:a:b:c = 2.748 : 1 : 1.374
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,190.14 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Occurs as crystalline incrustations. Imperfect crystals to 1 mm apparently hexagonal with a hexagonal pyramid and prism plus a large base.
Twinning:Pseudo-hexagonal trillings, analogous to aragonite. Exhibits complex polysynthetic twinning with rather large extinction angles.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
8.45 (31)
4.03 (31)
3.55 (55)
2.927 (100)
2.876 (45)
2.132 (35)
1.906 (56)

Optical Data of Caracolite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.743 nβ = 1.754 nγ = 1.764
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.021

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:High
Dispersion:r > v moderate

Chemical Properties of Caracolite

Formula:
Na
 
3
Pb
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
Cl
Essential elements:Cl, Na, O, Pb, S
All elements listed in formula:Cl, Na, O, Pb, S

Relationship of Caracolite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
7.BD.05Sulphohalite
Na
 
6
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
FCl
7.BD.05Sulfohalite
7.BD.10Galeite
Na
 
15
(SO
 
4
)
 
5
F
 
4
Cl
7.BD.10Schairerite
Na
 
3
(SO
 
4
)(F,Cl)
7.BD.15Kogarkoite
Na
 
3
(SO
 
4
)F
7.BD.20Cesanite
Na
 
3
Ca
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
7.BD.25Burkeite
Na
 
6
(CO
 
3
)(SO
 
4
)
 
2
7.BD.30Hanksite
Na
 
22
K(SO
 
4
)
 
9
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
Cl
7.BD.35Cannonite
Bi
 
2
(SO
 
4
)O(OH)
 
2
7.BD.40Lanarkite
Pb
 
2
(SO
 
4
)O
7.BD.45Grandreefite
Pb
 
2
(SO
 
4
)F
 
2
7.BD.50Itoite
Pb
 
3
Ge
4+
 
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
O
 
2
(OH)
 
2
7.BD.55Chiluite
Bi
 
3
Te
6+
 
Mo
6+
 
O
 
10.5
7.BD.60Hectorfloresite
Na
 
9
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
(IO
 
3
)
7.BD.65Pseudograndreefite
Pb
 
6
(SO
 
4
)F
 
10
7.BD.70Sundiusite
Pb
 
10
(SO
 
4
)O
 
8
Cl
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
26.1Kogarkoite
Na
 
3
(SO
 
4
)F
26.2Sulphohalite
Na
 
6
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
FCl
26.3Schairerite
Na
 
3
(SO
 
4
)(F,Cl)
26.4Galeite
Na
 
15
(SO
 
4
)
 
5
F
 
4
Cl
26.5Connellite
Cu
 
19
(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
32
Cl
 
4
 · 3H
 
2
O
26.6Chlorothionite
K
 
2
Cu(SO
 
4
)Cl
 
2
26.7Kamchatkite
KCu
 
3
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
OCl
26.8Spangolite
Cu
 
6
Al(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
12
Cl · 3H
 
2
O
26.9Aubertite
CuAl(SO
 
4
)
 
2
Cl · 14H
 
2
O
26.10Magnesioaubertite
(Mg,Cu)Al(SO
 
4
)
 
2
Cl · 14H
 
2
O
26.11Svyazhinite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
,Ca)(Al,Fe
3+
 
)(SO
 
4
)
 
2
F · 14H
 
2
O
26.12D'Ansite
Na
 
21
Mg(SO
 
4
)
 
10
Cl
 
3
26.13Anhydrokainite
KMg(SO
 
4
)Cl
26.14Kainite
KMg(SO
 
4
)Cl · 3H
 
2
O
26.15Mosesite
(Hg
 
2
N)(Cl,SO
 
4
,MoO
 
4
) · H
 
2
O
26.16Kleinite
(Hg
 
2
N)(Cl,SO
 
4
) · nH
 
2
O
26.17Wilcoxite
MgAl(SO
 
4
)
 
2
F · 18H
 
2
O
26.18Creedite
Ca
 
3
SO
 
4
Al
 
2
F
 
8
(OH)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
26.19Lannonite
HCa
 
4
Mg
 
2
Al
 
4
(SO
 
4
)
 
8
F
 
9
 · 32H
 
2
O
26.20Chukhrovite-(Y)
Ca
 
3
(Y,Ce)[F|SO
 
4
|(AlF
 
6
)
 
2
] · 10H
 
2
O
26.21Chukhrovite-(Ce)
Ca
 
3
(Ce,Y)[F|SO
 
4
|(AlF
 
6
)
 
2
] · 10H
 
2
O
26.22Grandreefite
Pb
 
2
(SO
 
4
)F
 
2
26.23Pseudograndreefite
Pb
 
6
(SO
 
4
)F
 
10
26.24Sundiusite
Pb
 
10
(SO
 
4
)O
 
8
Cl
 
2
26.26Mammothite
Pb
 
6
Cu
 
4
AlSb(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
18
Cl
 
4
26.27Atlasovite
K(BiO)Cu
 
6
Fe
3+
 
(SO
 
4
)
 
5
O
 
3
Cl
26.28Xitieshanite
Fe
3+
 
(SO
 
4
)Cl · 6H
 
2
O
26.29Nabokoite
KCu
 
7
(SO
 
4
)
 
5
(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)OCl

Other Names for Caracolite

Other Languages:
German:Caracolit
Russian:Караколит
Spanish:Caracolita

Other Information

Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

References for Caracolite

Reference List:

- +
Websky (1886) Sitzungsberichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften, Berlin: 1045.

Fletcher (1889) Mineralogical Magazine: 8: 172.

Goldschmidt, V. (1913) Atlas der Krystallformen. 9 volumes, atlas, and text: vol. 2: 2: 104.

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 52.

Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 1124 pp.: 546-547.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1969): 58-64.

Internet Links for Caracolite

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    • Localities for Caracolite

    The map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
    Hide Locality List
    (TL) indicates type locality. ? indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. All other localities listed without reference should be considered as uncertain and unproven until references can be found.
    Chile
     
    • Antofagasta Region
      • Antofagasta Province
        • Sierra Gorda District
          • Caracoles
    		Periodico di Mineralogia 54 (1985), 34; Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 82, 547.
    Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 75.
    Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 75.
    Collection U. Kolitsch (gift from Arturo Molina)
    Vajdak, Josef (2006) Mineral News: 22: 11; U. Kolitsch collection.
    • Tarapacá Region
      • Iquique Province
        • Challacollo
    		Tim Jokela Jr
    Germany
     
    • North Rhine-Westphalia
      • Ruhr Coal Mining area
        • Recklinghausen
          • Marl-Hüls
    		Weiss: "Mineralfundstellen, Deutschland West", 1990
    Ukraine
     
    • Zhytomyr Oblast' (Zhitomir Oblast')
    		Lyckberg, P., Chornousenko, V. & Wilson, W. E. (2009): Volodarsk-Volynski, Zhitomir Oblast, Ukraine. Mineralogical Record, 40, 473-506.
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    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2011. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 18th Jun 2011 21:15:25
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