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Descloizite

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Preguiça Mine, Sobral da Adiça, Moura, Beja District, Portugal
© Rui Nunes 2007

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Formula:
Pb(Zn,Cu)[OH|VO
 
4
]
System:OrthorhombicColour:Brownish red, ...
Hardness:3 - 3½
Name:
Named for Alfred Lewis Oliver Legrand Des Cloizeaux (1817-1897), Professor of Mineralogy, University of Paris, who first described the mineral.


Adelite-Descloizite Group. Descloizite-Mottramite Series. The zinc analogue of Mottramite, vanadate analogue of Arsendescloizite.

A secondary mineral often found in the oxidation zones of base metal deposits.

Classification of Descloizite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/B.27-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.BH.40

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
H : With medium-sized and large cations, (OH,etc.):RO4 = 1:1
Dana 8th edition ID:41.5.2.1

41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
5 : (AB)2(XO4)Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:21.3.10

21 : Vanadates (and vanadates with arsenate or phosphate)
3 : Vanadates of Al, rare earths, Pb, V or Bi
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Type Occurrence of Descloizite

Type Locality:Sierra de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
Year of Discovery:1854

Occurrences of Descloizite

Geological Setting:Secondary mineral in oxidized zone of vanadium bearing base metal deposits.

Physical Properties of Descloizite

Lustre:Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Opaque
Colour:Brownish red, red-orange, reddish brown to blackish brown, nearly black
Comment:Crystals often exhibit zonal growth with varying colours.
Streak:Orange to brownish red
Hardness (Mohs):3 - 3½
Comment:Somewhat harder on external crystal faces.
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:None Observed
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):6.2 g/cm3
Density (calculated):6.202 g/cm3

Crystallography of Descloizite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:Pnma {P21/n 21/m 21/a}
Space Group Setting:Pnma
Cell Parameters:a = 7.593Å, b = 6.057Å, c = 9.416Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.254 : 1 : 1.555
Unit Cell Volume:V 433.05 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals equant to pyramidal {111}, prismatic [001], rarely tabular {100} or short prismatic [100]. Crystal faces are commonly uneven or rough, with frequent sub-parallel growth. Drusy crusts of intergrown crystals common; also stalactitic or massive with a coarse fibrous structure and mammillary or botryoidal surface. Massive granular at times, compact to friable.
Crystal Atlas:
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Descloizite no.19 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
Descloizite no.24 - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)

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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Descloizite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 2.185 nβ = 2.265 nγ = 2.350
2V:Measured: 85° to 90°, Calculated: 88°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.165

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Dispersion:strong r > v rarely r < v
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:Weak to strong:
X = Y = Canary yellow to greenish yellow
Z = Brownish yellow

Chemical Properties of Descloizite

Formula:
Pb(Zn,Cu)[OH|VO
 
4
]
Essential elements:H, O, Pb, V, Zn
All elements listed in formula:Cu, H, O, Pb, V, Zn
Common Impurities:Cu

Relationship of Descloizite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Mottramite (see here)
Member of Group:
Adelite-Descloizite Group:
Common Associates:
WulfeniteVanadinitePyromorphiteMottramiteMimetite
Cerussite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.BH.05Thadeuite
Ca(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.10Durangite
NaAl[F|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Isokite
CaMg[F|PO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Lacroixite
NaAl[F|PO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Maxwellite
NaFe
3+
 
[F|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Panasqueiraite
CaMg[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Tilasite
CaMg[F|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.15Drugmanite
Pb(Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.20Bjarebyite
(Ba,Sr)(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Cirrolite
near Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
8.BH.20Kulanite
Ba(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Penikisite
Ba(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Ca)
 
2
Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Perloffite
Ba(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Johntomaite
BaFe
2+
2
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.25Bertossaite
(Li,Na)
 
2
(Ca,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)Al
 
4
[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
 
4
8.BH.25Palermoite
(Li,Na)
 
2
(Sr,Ca)Al
 
4
[PO
 
4
]
 
4
(OH)
 
4
8.BH.30Carminite
PbFe
3+
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.30Sewardite
CaFe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
8.BH.35Adelite
CaMg[AsO
 
4
](OH)
8.BH.35Arsendescloizite
PbZn[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Austinite
CaZn[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Cobaltaustinite
CaCo[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Conichalcite
CaCu[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Duftite
PbCu[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Gabrielsonite
PbFe[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Nickelaustinite
Ca(Ni,Zn)[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Tangeite
CaCu[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Gottlobite
CaMg[OH|(VO
 
4
,AsO
 
4
)]
8.BH.40Čechite
Pb(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.40Mottramite
Pb(Cu,Zn)[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.40Pyrobelonite
PbMn
2+
 
[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.45Bayldonite
Cu
 
3
Pb[OH|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.45Vésigniéite
BaCu
 
3
[OH|VO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.50Paganoite
NiBi[O|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.55Jagowerite
BaAl
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.60Attakolite
(Ca,Sr)Mn(Al,Fe)
 
4
[(OH)
 
4
|(SiO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)|(HPO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BH.65Leningradite
PbCu
 
3
[Cl|VO
 
4
]
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
21.3.1Steigerite
AlVO
 
4
·3H
 
2
O
21.3.2Alvanite
(Zn,Ni)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 2H
 
2
O
21.3.3Metaschoderite
Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(VO
 
4
)·6H
 
2
O
21.3.4Schoderite
Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(VO
 
4
)·8H
 
2
O
21.3.5Satpaevite
Al
 
12
V
 
2
V
 
6
O
 
37
·30H
 
2
O
21.3.6Vanalite
NaAl
 
8
V
 
10
O
 
38
·30H
 
2
O
21.3.7Wakefieldite-(Ce)
(Ce,Pb)VO
 
4
21.3.7Wakefieldite-(Y)
YVO
 
4
21.3.8Chervetite
Pb
 
2
[V
 
2
O
 
7
]
21.3.9Mottramite
Pb(Cu,Zn)[OH|VO
 
4
]
21.3.11Clinobisvanite
BiVO
 
4
21.3.11Dreyerite
BiVO
 
4
21.3.11Pucherite
BiVO
 
4
21.3.12Schumacherite
Bi
 
3
[O|OH|(VO
 
4
)
 
2
]
21.3.13Namibite
Cu(BiO)
 
2
(VO
 
4
)(OH)
21.3.14Pottsite
HPbBi(VO
 
4
)
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
21.3.15Duhamelite
(Pb,Bi,Ca)Cu[(OH,O)|VO
 
4
]

Other Names for Descloizite

Synonyms:
DescloizeauxiteEusynchiteRamirite
Other Languages:
Catalan:Discloizita
German:Descloizit
Descloizeauxit
Rhombischer Vanadit
Schaffnerit
Tritochorit
Italian:Descloizite
Russian:Деклуазит
Spanish:Descloizeauxita
Descloizita
La Ramarita
Varieties:
Cuprian DescloiziteDechenite

Other Information

Other Information:Readily soluble in acids.
Health Warning:No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:Rarely an ore of vanadium.

References for Descloizite

Reference List:Bergemann (1850) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 80: 393 (as Dechenite - arsenatian variety).

von Kobell (1850) Journal für praktische Chemie, Leipzig: 50: 496 (as Aræoxene).

Damour (1854) Annales de chimie et de physique, Paris: 41: 72, 78.

Fischer and Nessler (1854) Ber. Verh. Nat. Ges. Freiburg: 1: 33 (as Eusynchite).

Tschermak (1861) Konigliche Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna, Ber.: 44[2]: 157.

Schrauf (1862) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 116: 355.

Zippe (1861) Konigliche Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna, Ber.: 44[1]: 197 (as Rhombischer Vanadit).

Frenzel (1880) Mineralogische und petrographische Mitteilungen, Vienna: 3: 506 (as Tritochorit).

Frenzel (1881) Mineralogische und petrographische Mitteilungen, Vienna: 4: 97 (as Tritochorit).

Vigener (1884) Berichte Niederrheinische Gesellschaft für Natur und Heilkunde, Bonn: 87 (as Schaffnerit).

Headden (1903) Proceedings of the Colorado Science Society: 7: 141.

Fresenius analysis in: Guild (1911) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 49: 322.

Goldschmidt, V. (1916) Atlas der Krystallformen. 9 volumes, atlas, and text: vol. 3: 32.

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 67, 64.

Diefenbach (1930) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 74: 155.

Strunz (1930) Naturwissenschaften: 27: 423.

Dittler and Hueber (1931) Mineralogische und petrographische Mitteilungen, Vienna: 41: 173.

Hintze, Carl (1931) Handbuch der Mineralogie. Berlin and Leipzig. 6 volumes: 1 [4A]: 666.

Bannister (1933) Mineralogical Magazine: 23: 376.

Meixner (1937) Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Heidelberg, Stuttgart: I: 79.

Hägele (1939) Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, Beil.-Bd.: 75: 101.

Strunz (1939) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 101: 496.

Schwellnus (1946) Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa: 48: 49.

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.: 811-815.

Acta Crystallographica: B35: 717-720.

Canadian Mineralogist (1970): 8: 23-39.

Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W., and Nichols, M.C. (2000) Handbook of Mineralogy, Volume IV. Arsenates, Phosphates, Vanadates. Mineral Data Publishing, Tucson, AZ, 680pp.: 138.

Internet Links for Descloizite

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    Localities for Descloizite

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