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Descloizite

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Berg Aukas (Berg Aukus), Grootfontein District, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia
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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 garder of 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)
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 pr 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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X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
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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)
Related to:
  • 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.

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