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Girdite

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Grand Central Mine, Contention-Grand Central Mine group, Tombstone District, Tombstone Hills, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA
© Brent Thorne

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Formula:
Pb
 
3
H
 
2
[Te
4+
 
O
 
3
|Te
6+
 
O
 
6
]
System:MonoclinicColour:White
Hardness:2
Name:For Richard Gird (1836-1910), mining engineer and discoverer of the Tombstone district.
This page provides mineralogical data about Girdite.

Classification of Girdite

IMA status:Approved 1979
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/K.19-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.JL.30

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
J : Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites; iodates
L : Tellurites with additional anions, without H2O
Dana 7th edition ID:33.3.3.1
Dana 8th edition ID:33.3.3.1

33 : SELENATES AND TELLURATES
3 : Compound Selenates and Tellurates
Hey's CIM Ref.:28.4.7

28 : Selenites, Selenates, Tellurites, and Tellurates
4 : Tellurates
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Type Occurrence of Girdite

Type Locality:Grand Central Mine, Contention-Grand Central Mine group, Tombstone District, Tombstone Hills, Cochise Co., Arizona, USA
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Natural History Museum, London 1980,539
Year of Discovery:1979
Geological Setting of type material:Fracture coating in oxidized tellurite and tellurate ores.

Physical Properties of Girdite

Lustre:Dull
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Comment:Chalky in aggregates
Colour:White
Hardness (Mohs):2
Tenacity:Brittle
Density (measured):5.5(2) g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.49 g/cm3

Crystallography of Girdite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):m - Domatic
Cell Parameters:a = 6.241Å, b = 5.686Å, c = 8.719Å
β = 91.68°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.098 : 1 : 1.533
Unit Cell Volume:V 309.27 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:1
Morphology:Dense spherules, bow-tie aggregates of tapered prismatic crystals.
Twinning:Complex twins noted.
Comment:Class is questionable

Optical Data of Girdite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 2.440 nβ = 2.470 nγ = 2.480
2V:Measured: 70° , Calculated: 58°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.040

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

Chemical Properties of Girdite

Formula:
Pb
 
3
H
 
2
[Te
4+
 
O
 
3
|Te
6+
 
O
 
6
]
Essential elements:H, O, Pb, Te
All elements listed in formula:H, O, Pb, Te

Relationship of Girdite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.JL.05Rodalquilarite
H
 
3
Fe
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
4
Cl
4.JL.10Mackayite
Fe
3+
 
[OH|Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]
4.JL.15Mroseite
CaTeO
 
2
CO
 
3
4.JL.20Pingguite
Bi
 
6
Te
 
2
O
 
13
4.JL.25Tlapallite
H
 
6
(Ca,Pb)
 
2
(Cu,Zn)
 
3
SO
 
4
(TeO
 
3
)
 
4
TeO
 
6
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
28.4.1Xocomecatlite
Cu
 
3
[(OH)
 
4
|TeO
 
4
]
28.4.2Carlfriesite
CaTe
 
3
O
 
8
28.4.3Yafsoanite
Ca
 
3
Zn
 
3
[TeO
 
6
]
 
2
28.4.4Tlalocite
Cu
 
10
Zn
 
6
(TeO
 
3
)(TeO
 
4
)
 
2
Cl(OH)
 
25
·27H
 
2
O
28.4.5Oboyerite
Pb
 
6
H
 
6
[(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)
 
3
|(Te
6+
 
O
 
6
)
 
2
] · 2H
 
2
O
28.4.6Schieffelinite
Pb
 
8
(TeO
 
4
)
 
5
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·8H
 
2
O
28.4.8Khinite
Cu
 
3
Pb[(OH)
 
6
|TeO
 
4
]
28.4.9Parakhinite
Cu
 
3
Pb[(OH)
 
6
|TeO
 
4
]
28.4.10Dugganite
Pb
 
3
Zn
 
3
(Te
6+
 
O
 
6
)(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
28.4.11Kuksite
Pb
 
3
Zn
 
3
TeO
 
6
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
28.4.12Cheremnykhite
Pb
 
3
Zn
 
3
TeO
 
6
(VO
 
4
)
 
2
28.4.13Tlapallite
H
 
6
(Ca,Pb)
 
2
(Cu,Zn)
 
3
SO
 
4
(TeO
 
3
)
 
4
TeO
 
6
28.4.14Montanite
Bi
 
2
[TeO
 
6
] · 2H
 
2
O
28.4.15Kuranakhite
PbMn
4+
 
Te
6+
 
O
 
6
28.4.16Cuzticite
Fe
3+
2
[TeO
 
6
] · 3H
 
2
O
28.4.17Yecoraite
Fe
3+
3
(BiO)
 
5
(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)(Te
6+
 
O
 
6
)
 
2
 · 9H
 
2
O

Other Names for Girdite

Synonyms:
IMA1979-006
Other Languages:
German:Girdit
Spanish:Girdita

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 Girdite

Reference List:Williams, S.A. (1979): Girdite, oboyerite, fairbankite, and winstanleyite, four new tellurium minerals from Tombstone, AZ. Mineralogical Magazine: 43, 453-457.

American Mineralogist: 65: 809.

Articles/Blogs about Girdite

Internet Links for Girdite

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    Localities for Girdite

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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.
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Cochise Co.
        • Tombstone Hills
          • Tombstone District
            • Contention-Grand Central Mine group
    		Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 232.
    • Nevada
      • Washoe Co.
    		NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
    Mineral and/or Locality
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