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Fernandinite

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Sunday Mine, San Miguel Co., Colorado, USA
© Brent Thorne

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Formula:
(Ca,K)[(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
4
O
 
10
]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Dull green; light green, ...
Hardness:2 - 3
Name:After Eulagio E. Fernandini, who was formerly an owner of the Minasragra deposit.
This page provides mineralogical data about Fernandinite.

Classification of Fernandinite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/G.11-35
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.HE.20

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
H : V[5,6] Vanadates
E : Phyllovanadates
Dana 8th edition ID:47.3.2.3

47 : VANADIUM OXYSALTS
3 : Hydrated Normal Vanadium Oxysalts
Hey's CIM Ref.:21.2.7

21 : Vanadates (and vanadates with arsenate or phosphate)
2 : Vanadates of Mg, Ca, Sr or Ba
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Type Occurrence of Fernandinite

Type Locality:Ragra Mine (Minasragra), Junín, Cerro de Pasco, Daniel Alcides Carrión Province, Pasco Department, Peru
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA: #101718. U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA: #87661, R5706.
Year of Discovery:1994
Geological Setting of type material:A rich vanadium deposit in fissures that cut red shales
Associated Minerals at type locality:
QuartzHewettite

Physical Properties of Fernandinite

Lustre:Sub-Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent, Opaque
Colour:Dull green; light green, dark olive-green, brownish green in transmitted light
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 3
Density (measured):2.78 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.07 g/cm3

Crystallography of Fernandinite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:B2/m (B1 1 2/m) [C2/m] {C1 2/m 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 11.68Å, b = 3.6537Å, c = 11.023Å
β = 105°
Ratio:a:b:c = 3.197 : 1 : 3.017
Unit Cell Volume:V 454.38 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:1
Morphology:Crystals rare, platy and rectangular. Fibrous, cryptocrystalline, porous massive.

Optical Data of Fernandinite

Type:Biaxial
RI values: n = 2.05
Birefringence:Strong
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.000

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Comments:2V measured value not determined.

Chemical Properties of Fernandinite

Formula:
(Ca,K)[(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
4
O
 
10
]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Ca, H, O, V
All elements listed in formula:Ca, Fe, H, K, O, V

Relationship of Fernandinite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.HE.05Melanovanadite
Ca
 
2
V
 
4
V
 
6
O
 
25
·nH
 
2
O
4.HE.10Shcherbinaite
V
 
2
O
 
5
4.HE.15Hewettite
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
|V
 
4
O
 
10
] · 9H
 
2
O
4.HE.15Metahewettite
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
|V
 
4
O
 
10
] · 3H
 
2
O
4.HE.20Bariandite
Al
 
3
[(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
)
 
4
O
 
10
]
 
10
 · 45H
 
2
O
4.HE.20Bokite
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
1.3
[(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
4
O
 
10
]
 
2
 · 7.5H
 
2
O
4.HE.20Corvusite
V
 
7
O
 
20
·nH
 
2
O
4.HE.20Straczekite
(Ca,K,Ba)V
 
8
O
 
20
·3H
 
2
O
4.HE.25Häggite
V
 
2
O
 
2
(OH)
 
3
4.HE.30Doloresite
3V
 
2
O
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
4.HE.35Duttonite
VO(OH)
 
2
4.HE.40Cavoite
CaV
 
3
O
 
7
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
21.2.1Metarossite
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 2H
 
2
O
21.2.2Rossite
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 4H
 
2
O
21.2.3Metahewettite
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
|V
 
4
O
 
10
] · 3H
 
2
O
21.2.4Hewettite
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
|V
 
4
O
 
10
] · 9H
 
2
O
21.2.5Pintadoite
Ca
 
2
V
 
2
O
 
7
·9H
 
2
O
21.2.6Hendersonite
(Ca,Sr)
 
x
(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
)
 
12
O
 
32
·12H
 
2
O (x about 2.6)
21.2.8Pascoite
Ca
 
3
[V
 
10
O
 
28
] · 17H
 
2
O
21.2.9Sherwoodite
Ca
 
9
Al
 
2
V
 
4
V
 
24
O
 
80
·56H
 
2
O
21.2.10Melanovanadite
Ca
 
2
V
 
4
V
 
6
O
 
25
·nH
 
2
O
21.2.11Grantsite
(Na
 
2
,Ca)[V
 
2
O
 
6
|(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
)
 
4
O
 
10
] · 4H
 
2
O
21.2.12Hummerite
K
 
2
Mg
 
2
[V
 
10
O
 
28
] · 16H
 
2
O
21.2.13Metadelrioite
CaSr[(OH)
 
2
|V
 
2
O
 
6
]
21.2.14Delrioite
CaSr[(OH)
 
2
|V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 3H
 
2
O
21.2.15Straczekite
(Ca,K,Ba)V
 
8
O
 
20
·3H
 
2
O
21.2.16Gamagarite
Ba
 
2
(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)[OH|(VO
 
4
)
 
2
]

Other Names for Fernandinite

Other Languages:
German:Fernandinit
Russian:Фернандинит
Spanish:Fernandinita

Other Information

Other Information:Readily soluble in acids to a green solution. Somewhat soluble in cold H2O, yielding a yellow solution.
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 Fernandinite

Reference List:Schaller (1915) Journal of the Washington Academy of Science: 5: 7.

Dana, E.S. (1915) System of Mineralogy, 6th. Edition, New York. App. 3, by W.E. Ford: 29 (Schaller in).

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 74.

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.: 1062.

Evans, H.T., Jr. and J.M. Hughes (1990) Crystal chemistry of the natural vanadium bronzes. American Mineralogist: 75: 508–521.

Evans, H.T., Jr., J.E. Post, D.R. Ross, and J.A. Nelen (1994) The crystal structure and crystal chemistry of fernandinite and corvusite. Canadian Mineralogist: 32: 339-351.

American Mineralogist (1995): 80: 407.

Articles/Blogs about Fernandinite

Internet Links for Fernandinite

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    Localities for Fernandinite

    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.
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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.
    Peru
     
    • Pasco Department
      • Daniel Alcides Carrión Province
        • Cerro de Pasco
          • Junín
    		Schaller (1915) Journal of the Washington Academy of Science: 5: 7; 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: 1062.
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Apache Co.
        • Navajo Indian Reservation
          • Monument Valley
            • Monument No. 2 channel
    		Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 220; Witkind, I.J. & R.E. Thaden (1963), Geology and uranium-vanadium deposits of the Monument Valley area, Apache and Navajo Cos., AZ: 115; Galbraith, F.W. & D.J. Brennan (1959), Minerals of AZ: 79.
    • Colorado
      • Montrose Co.
        • Uravan District
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckels, E. B.
      • San Miguel Co.
    		Min News (1987) 3:9 p 5-6
    • Utah
      • Emery Co.
        • San Rafael District (San Rafael Swell)
    		UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah
    Mineral and/or Locality
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