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Cliffordite

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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
German names:
Cliffordit
Russian names:
Клиффордит
Spanish names:
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.

Articles/Blogs about Cliffordite

Internet Links for Cliffordite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
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  • Cliffordite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Cliffordite

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    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.
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    (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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