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Cliffordite

Big Photo

San Miguel prospect, Moctezuma, Mun. de Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico
© Brent Thorne

Show Cliffordite Photos (3)
Formula:
UTe
 
3
O
 
9
System:IsometricColour:Bright sulfur Yellow
Lustre:AdamantineHardness:4
Name:For Clifford Frondel (1907-2002), Harvard University, Massachusetts
This page provides mineralogical data about Cliffordite.

Classification of Cliffordite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/K.14-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.JK.75

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
J : Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites; iodates
K : Tellurites without additional anions, without H2O
Dana 8th edition ID:34.3.1.1

34 : SELENITES, TELLURITES AND SULFITES
3 : A2(XO3)3·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:28.3.18

28 : Selenites, Selenates, Tellurites, and Tellurates
3 : Tellurites
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Type Occurrence of Cliffordite

Type Locality:San Miguel Mine, Moctezuma, Mun. de Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Harvard University, Boston Massachusetts 119079
Year of Discovery:1969

Occurrences of Cliffordite

Geological Setting:Oxidized zones of hydrothermal Au-Ag telluride deposits.

Physical Properties of Cliffordite

Lustre:Adamantine
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:Bright sulfur Yellow
Hardness (Mohs):4
Density (measured):6.57 g/cm3
Density (calculated):6.77 g/cm3
Comment:On synthetic material.

Crystallography of Cliffordite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3 (2/m 3) - Diploidal
Space Group:Pa3 {P21/a 3}
Cell Parameters:a = 11.42(5) Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,489.36 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:8
Morphology:Octahedra crystals, crusts.

Optical Data of Cliffordite

Type:Isotropic
RI values: n = 2.25(2)
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.000 - Isotropic minerals have no birefringence
Surface Relief:Very High
Comments:On synthetic material

Chemical Properties of Cliffordite

Formula:
UTe
 
3
O
 
9
Essential elements:O, Te, U
All elements listed in formula:O, Te, U
Empirical Formula:
U
6+
 
Te
4+
3
O
 
9

Relationship of Cliffordite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.JK.05Winstanleyite
TiTe
 
3
O
 
8
4.JK.05Walfordite
(Fe
3+
 
,Te
6+
 
)Te
4+
3
O
 
8
4.JK.10Spiroffite
(Mn,Zn)
 
2
Te
 
3
O
 
8
4.JK.10Zincospiroffite
Zn
 
2
[Te
 
3
O
 
8
]
4.JK.15Balyakinite
CuTeO
 
3
4.JK.20Rajite
Cu[Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]
4.JK.25Carlfriesite
CaTe
 
3
O
 
8
4.JK.30Denningite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca,Zn)[Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]
4.JK.35Chekhovichite
Bi
 
2
Te
 
4
O
 
11
4.JK.40Smirnite
(BiO)
 
2
[TeO
 
3
]
4.JK.45Choloalite
PbCu[TeO
 
3
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
4.JK.50Fairbankite
PbTeO
 
3
4.JK.55Plumbotellurite
PbTeO
 
3
4.JK.60Magnolite
Hg
 
2
TeO
 
3
4.JK.65Moctezumite
PbUO
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
4.JK.70Schmitterite
(UO
 
2
)[TeO
 
3
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
28.3.1Balyakinite
CuTeO
 
3
28.3.2Rajite
Cu[Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]
28.3.3Graemite
Cu[TeO
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
28.3.4Teineite
Cu[TeO
 
3
] · 2H
 
2
O
28.3.5Cesbronite
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
3
|TeO
 
3
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
28.3.6Mroseite
CaTeO
 
2
CO
 
3
28.3.7Quetzalcoatlite
Zn
 
6
Cu
 
3
(TeO
 
6
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
·Ag
 
x
Pb
 
y
Cl
 
x+2y
28.3.8Zemannite
(H,Na)
 
2
(Zn,Fe)
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
3
·nH
 
2
O
28.3.9Kinichilite
(Fe,Mg,Zn)
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
3
(Na
 
x
H
 
2-x
)·3H
 
2
O
28.3.10Denningite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca,Zn)[Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]
28.3.11Spiroffite
(Mn,Zn)
 
2
Te
 
3
O
 
8
28.3.12Winstanleyite
TiTe
 
3
O
 
8
28.3.13Fairbankite
PbTeO
 
3
28.3.14Plumbotellurite
PbTeO
 
3
28.3.15Choloalite
PbCu[TeO
 
3
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
28.3.16Smirnite
(BiO)
 
2
[TeO
 
3
]
28.3.17Chekhovichite
Bi
 
2
Te
 
4
O
 
11
28.3.19Schmitterite
(UO
 
2
)[TeO
 
3
]
28.3.20Moctezumite
PbUO
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
28.3.21Emmonsite
Fe
3+
2
[TeO
 
3
]
 
3
 · 2H
 
2
O
28.3.22Blakeite
Fe
3+
2
[TeO
 
3
]
 
3
 (?)
28.3.23Mackayite
Fe
3+
 
[OH|Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]
28.3.24Poughite
Fe
3+
2
[SO
 
4
|(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
] · 3H
 
2
O
28.3.25Sonoraite
Fe
3+
 
[OH|TeO
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
28.3.26Rodalquilarite
H
 
3
Fe
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
4
Cl
28.3.27Eztlite
Pb
 
2
Fe
3+
6
[(OH)
 
10
|(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)
 
3
|Te
6+
 
O
 
6
] · 8H
 
2
O
28.3.28Keystoneite
(Ni,Mg,Fe,Mn)
 
3
Te
 
3
O
 
9
·5H
 
2
O

Other Names for Cliffordite

Synonyms:
IMA1966-046
Other Languages:
German:Cliffordit
Russian:Клиффордит
Spanish:Cliffordita

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 Cliffordite

Reference List:American Mineralogist: 54: 697-701.

American Mineralogist: 57: 597.

Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen: 29: 1-8.

Burns, P.C. (2005) U 6+ minerals and inorganic compounds: insights into an expanded structural hierarchy of crystal structures. Canadian Mineralogist: 43: 1839-1894.

Internet Links for Cliffordite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Cliffordite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Cliffordite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Cliffordite

    Hide Locality List
    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.
    (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.
    Mexico
     
    • Sonora
      • Mun. de Moctezuma
        • Moctezuma
    		Lapis 2001(1), 11-40
    Handbook of Mineralogy - Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols
    Amer.Min.(1969) 54, 697-701
    Lapis 2001(1), 11-40
    Mineral and/or Locality
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    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. 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. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 5th Nov 2009 09:41:04