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Gibbsite

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Saga 1 Quarry, Sagåsen (Strandåsen), Mørje, Porsgrunn, Telemark, Norway
© Knut Eldjarn

Show Gibbsite Photos (17)
Formula:
Al(OH)
 
3
System:MonoclinicColour:White, greyish, ...
Hardness:2½ - 3
Name:After Colonel George Gibbs (1777-1834), original owner of the Gibbs mineral collection acquired by Yale University early in the nineteenth century.
This page provides mineralogical data about Gibbsite.

Classification of Gibbsite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/F.02-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.FE.10

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
F : Hydroxides (without V or U)
E : Hydroxides with OH, without H2O; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
Dana 8th edition ID:6.3.1.1

6 : HYDROXIDES AND OXIDES CONTAINING HYDROXYL
3 : X(OH)3
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.6.4

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
6 : Oxides of Al
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Type Occurrence of Gibbsite

Type Locality:Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, USA
Year of Discovery:1822

Physical Properties of Gibbsite

Lustre:Vitreous, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:White, greyish, greenish, reddish white; reddish yellow (impure)
Hardness (Mohs):2½ - 3
Cleavage:Perfect
{001}
Density (measured):2.38 - 2.42 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.44 g/cm3

Crystallography of Gibbsite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Cell Parameters:a = 8.65Å, b = 5.07Å, c = 9.7Å
β = 94.2°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.706 : 1 : 1.913
Unit Cell Volume:V 424.26 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals tabular {001}, with {100} and (110} usually well-developed, presenting a hexagonal form. As lamellar-radiate spheroidal concretions at times.
Twinning:1. About [130] as twin axis, very common. 2. On {001}, common, usually in combination with other twin laws. 3. On {100}, uncommon. 4. Rare on {110}

Optical Data of Gibbsite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.568 - 1.570 nβ = 1.568 - 1.570 nγ = 1.586 - 1.587
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.018

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

Chemical Properties of Gibbsite

Formula:
Al(OH)
 
3
Essential elements:Al, H, O
All elements listed in formula:Al, H, O
Common Impurities:Fe,Ga

Relationship of Gibbsite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
4.FE.05Amakinite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)(OH)
 
2
4.FE.05Brucite
Mg(OH)
 
2
4.FE.05Portlandite
Ca(OH)
 
2
4.FE.05Pyrochroite
Mn(OH)
 
2
4.FE.05Theophrastite
Ni(OH)
 
2
4.FE.10Bayerite
Al(OH)
 
3
4.FE.10Doyleite
Al(OH)
 
3
4.FE.10Nordstrandite
Al(OH)
 
3
4.FE.15Böhmite
AlO(OH)
4.FE.15Lepidocrocite
γ-Fe
3+
 
O(OH)
4.FE.20Grimaldiite
CrO(OH)
4.FE.20Heterogenite
CoO(OH)
4.FE.25Feitknechtite
Mn
3+
 
O(OH)
4.FE.25Lithiophorite
(Al,Li)MnO
 
2
(OH)
 
2
4.FE.30Quenselite
PbMnO
 
2
(OH)
4.FE.35Ferrihydrite
Fe
 
5
O
 
3
(OH)
 
9
4.FE.40Feroxyhyte
Fe
3+
 
O(OH)
4.FE.40Vernadite
(Mn
4+
 
,Fe
3+
 
,Ca,Na)(O,OH)
 
2
 · nH
 
2
O
4.FE.45Quetzalcoatlite
Zn
 
6
Cu
 
3
(TeO
 
6
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
·Ag
 
x
Pb
 
y
Cl
 
x+2y
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
7.6.1Corundum
Al
 
2
O
 
3
7.6.2Böhmite
AlO(OH)
7.6.2Diaspore
AlO(OH)
7.6.5Bayerite
Al(OH)
 
3
7.6.6Nordstrandite
Al(OH)
 
3
7.6.7Doyleite
Al(OH)
 
3
7.6.8Akdalaite
4Al
 
2
O
 
3
 · H
 
2
O

Other Names for Gibbsite

Synonyms:
b-KliachiteClausseniteGibbsite (of Torrey)GibbsitogeliteHydrargillite (of Cleaveland)
Wavellite (of Dewey)Zirlite
German names:
ClaussenitGibbsitGibbsitogelit
Russian names:
Гиббсит
Spanish names:
b-KliachitaClaussenitaGibbsitaGibbsitogelita

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 Gibbsite

Reference List:Dewey (1820), American Journal of Science: 2: 249 (as wavellite).

Torrey (1822), New York. Med. Phys. Journal: 1, no. 1: 68.

Rose (1839), Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 48: 564 (as hydrargillite).

Megaw (1934), Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 87: 185.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 663-667.

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Supplement 4 (1991): 316.

Internet Links for Gibbsite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Gibbsite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Gibbsite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
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    Localities for Gibbsite

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