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Alvanite

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Kurumsak V Deposit, Aksumbe, Karatau Range, Southern Kazakhstan Province (Ongtüstik Qazaqstan Oblysy; Yuzhno-Kazakhstanskaya Oblast'), Kazakhstan
© Pavel M. Kartashov

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Formula:
(Zn,Ni)Al
 
4
(V
5+
 
O
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
12
 · 2H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Pale bluish green to ...
Hardness:3 - 3½
Name:Named in allusion to its composition, containing ALuminium and VANadium.


The zinc analogue of Ankinovichite.

Classification of Alvanite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/G.07-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.FE.05

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
F : Polyphosphates, Polyarsenates, [4]-Polyvanadates
E : Ino-[4]-vanadates
Dana 8th edition ID:42.13.13.1

42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
13 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:21.3.2

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 Alvanite

Co-type Localities:Kurumsak V Deposit, Aksumbe, Karatau Range, Southern Kazakhstan Province (Ongtüstik Qazaqstan Oblysy; Yuzhno-Kazakhstanskaya Oblast'), Kazakhstan
Balasauskandyk V Deposit, Karatau Range, Southern Kazakhstan Province (Ongtüstik Qazaqstan Oblysy; Yuzhno-Kazakhstanskaya Oblast'), Kazakhstan
General Appearance of Type Material:micalike platelets
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Mining Institute, St. Petersburg, 1249/2; A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, 65614.
Year of Discovery:1959
Geological Setting of type material:In the oxidation zone of a vanadiferous clay-anthraxolite horizon.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
Mica Group

Physical Properties of Alvanite

Lustre:Vitreous, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Comment:Pearly on cleavages.
Colour:Pale bluish green to bluish black.
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):3 - 3½
Cleavage:Perfect
on {010}
Fracture:Micaceous
Density (measured):2.49 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.492 g/cm3

Crystallography of Alvanite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:P21/m {P1 1 21/m} {P21/m} {P1 21/m 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 17.808Å, b = 5.132Å, c = 8.881Å
β = 92.11°
Ratio:a:b:c = 3.47 : 1 : 1.731
Unit Cell Volume:V 811.09 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:In hexagonal platelets, micalike, with forms {001}, {010}, {100}, and {101}.
Twinning:polysynthetic, parallel to {010}
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
4.46 (100)
8.91 (90)
7.85 (80)
5.02 (50)
1.973 (40)
3.287 (35)
2.957 (35)

Optical Data of Alvanite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.658 nγ = 1.714
2V:Measured: 80° to 85°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.056

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:r < v, strong

Chemical Properties of Alvanite

Formula:
(Zn,Ni)Al
 
4
(V
5+
 
O
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
12
 · 2H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, H, O, V, Zn
All elements listed in formula:Al, H, Ni, O, V, Zn
Analytical Data:Results from electron microprobe analysis, water content calculated from the mass balance
V2O5 (27.5)
Al2O3 (34.2)
FeO (0.3)
NiO (4.2)
ZnO (7.6)
H2O (26.2)

sum 100.0 wt.-%
Empirical Formula:
(Zn
 
0.57
Ni
 
0.34
Fe
 
0.02
)
 
=0.93
Al
 
4.09
V
 
1.84
O
 
20.50
H
 
17.69

Relationship of Alvanite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.FE.05Ankinovichite
(Ni,Zn)Al
 
4
(V
5+
 
O
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
12
 · 2.5H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
21.3.1Steigerite
Al(VO
 
4
) · 3H
 
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
4+
2
V
5+
6
O
 
37
 · 30H
 
2
O
21.3.6Vanalite
NaAl
 
8
V
 
10
O
 
38
 · 30H
 
2
O
21.3.7Wakefieldite-(Ce)
Ce(VO
 
4
)
21.3.7Wakefieldite-(Y)
Y(VO
 
4
)
21.3.8Chervetite
Pb
 
2
(V
 
2
O
 
7
)
21.3.9Mottramite
PbCu(VO
 
4
)(OH)
21.3.10Descloizite
Pb(Zn,Cu)(VO
 
4
)(OH)
21.3.11Clinobisvanite
Bi(VO
 
4
)
21.3.11Dreyerite
Bi(VO
 
4
)
21.3.11Pucherite
Bi(VO
 
4
)
21.3.12Schumacherite
Bi
 
3
(VO
 
4
)
 
2
O(OH)
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(VO
 
4
)(OH,O)

Other Names for Alvanite

Other Languages:
German:Alvanit
Russian:Альванит
Spanish:Alvanita

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 Alvanite

Reference List:

- +
Ankinovich, E. A. (1959): New vanadium minerals - satpaevite and al'vanite [alvanite]. Zapiski Vserossiyskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva 88, 157-164 (in Russian). - American Mineralogist (1959), 44, 1325-1326 (abstract).

Pertlik, F. and Dunn, P. J. (1990): Crystal structure of alvanite, (Zn,Ni)Al4(VO3)2(OH)^2 x 2H2O, the first example of an unbranched zweier-single chain vanadate in nature. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte, 385-392.

Dunn, P. J., Roberts, A. C. and Pertlik, F. (1990): Alvanite from Kazakhstan, U.S.S.R.: new crystallographic and chemical data. Mineralogical Magazine 54, 609-611.

Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 12.

Internet Links for Alvanite

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    • Localities for Alvanite

    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.
    Kazakhstan
     
    • Southern Kazakhstan Province (Ongtüstik Qazaqstan Oblysy; Yuzhno-Kazakhstanskaya Oblast')
      • Karatau Range
        • Aksumbe
    		Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow
    Pekov, I. (1998) Minerals First discovered on the territory of the former Soviet Union 369p. Ocean Pictures, Moscow
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