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Glaukosphaerite

Big Photo

Km-3 Mine, Lavrion Mines, Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium), Lavrion District Mines, Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium) District, Attikí (Attica; Attika) Prefecture, Greece
© Dick Dionne

Show Glaukosphaerite Photos (17)
Formula:
(Cu,Ni)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
System:MonoclinicHardness:3 - 4


Rosasite Group.

Classification of Glaukosphaerite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/C.01-60
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:5.BA.10

5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
B : Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
A : With Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Mn
Dana 8th edition ID:16a.3.1.3

16a : ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : (AB)2(XO3)Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:11.14.8

11 : Carbonates
14 : Carbonates of Co and Ni
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Type Occurrence of Glaukosphaerite

Type Locality:Durkin shaft, Hampton East Location, Kambalda Nickel deposit, Kambalda, Coolgardie Shire, Western Australia, Australia
Year of Discovery:1974

Physical Properties of Glaukosphaerite

Hardness (Mohs):3 - 4

Crystallography of Glaukosphaerite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 9.34Å, b = 11.93Å, c = 3.07Å
β = 91°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.783 : 1 : 0.257
Unit Cell Volume:V 342.03 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Glaukosphaerite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.690 nβ = 1.830 nγ = 1.830
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.140

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Dispersion:weak to moderate

Chemical Properties of Glaukosphaerite

Formula:
(Cu,Ni)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
Essential elements:C, Cu, H, O
All elements listed in formula:C, Cu, H, Ni, O

Relationship of Glaukosphaerite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
5.BA.05Azurite
Cu
 
3
[OH|CO
 
3
]
 
2
5.BA.10Georgeite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
] · 6H
 
2
O
5.BA.10Kolwezite
(Cu,Co)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Malachite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Mcguinnessite
(Mg,Cu)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Nullaginite
Ni
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Pokrovskite
Mg
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Rosasite
(Cu,Zn)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Zincrosasite
(Zn,Cu)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.10Chukanovite
Fe
2+
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
5.BA.15Aurichalcite
(Zn,Cu)
 
5
[(OH)
 
3
|CO
 
3
]
 
2
5.BA.15Hydrozincite
Zn
 
5
[(OH)
 
3
|CO
 
3
]
 
2
5.BA.20Holdawayite
Mn
 
6
(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
7
(Cl,OH)
5.BA.25Defernite
Ca
 
6
(CO
 
3
)
 
2-x
(SiO
 
4
)
 
x
(OH)
 
7
(Cl,OH)
 
1-2x
 (x=0.5)
5.BA.30Loseyite
(Zn,Mn
2+
 
)
 
7
[(OH)
 
5
|CO
 
3
]
 
2
5.BA.30Sclarite
(Zn,Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
4
Zn
 
3
[(OH)
 
5
|CO
 
3
]
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
11.14.1Spherocobaltite
CoCO
 
3
11.14.2Kolwezite
(Cu,Co)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
11.14.3Nullaginite
Ni
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
11.14.4Hellyerite
NiCO
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
11.14.5Otwayite
Ni
 
2
CO
 
3
(OH)
 
2
·H
 
2
O
11.14.6Zaratite
Ni
 
3
(CO
 
3
)(OH)
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
11.14.7Kambaldaite
NaNi
 
4
(CO
 
3
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
·3H
 
2
O
11.14.9Gaspéite
(Ni,Mg,Fe)CO
 
3
11.14.10Reevesite
Ni
 
6
Fe
3+
2
[(OH)
 
16
|CO
 
3
] · 4H
 
2
O
11.14.11Comblainite
(Ni
 
x
,Co
 
1-x
)(OH)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
(1-x)/2
·nH
 
2
O
11.14.12Szymańskiite
Hg
 
16
(Ni,Mg)
 
6
(CO
 
3
)
 
12
(OH)
 
12
(H
 
3
O)
 
8
·3H
 
2
O

Other Names for Glaukosphaerite

Synonyms:
GlaucosphaeriteIMA1972-028
German names:
GlaukosphaeritGlaukosphärit
Spanish names:
Glaukosphaerita

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 Glaukosphaerite

Reference List:Mineralogical Magazine: 39: 737-743.

Canadian Mineralogist: 14: 574-576.

Canadian Mineralogist: 19: 315-324.

Internet Links for Glaukosphaerite

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

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    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.
    Australia
     
    • Western Australia
      • Coolgardie Shire
        • Kambalda
          • Kambalda Nickel deposit
            • Hampton East Location
    		MM 1974, 737-43
      • Kalgoorlie
        • Goongarrie
      • Widgiemooltha
    		No reference listed
    Austria
     
    • Tyrol
      • North Tyrol
        • Inn valley
          • Brixlegg - Schwaz area
            • Brixlegg - Rattenberg
              • Geyer - Silberberg District
    		Lapis 19(7/8):13-78 (1994)
    Schnorrer, G. and Poeverlein, R. (2002) Schwaz-Brixlegg-Fundstellen: 2. Die Minerale des Stockerstollens bei Brixlegg in Tirol. Aufschluss, 53, 209-228.
    Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
     
    • Katanga (Shaba)
      • Katanga Copper Crescent
        • Central area
          • Swambo
    		Lapis 17(3), 13-40 (1992)
    France
     
    • Languedoc-Roussillon
      • Pyrénées-Orientales
        • Céret
          • Oms
    		Le Cahier des Micromonteurs, 2007, 95, 3-24.
    Germany
     
    • North Rhine-Westphalia
      • Siegerland
        • Siegen
          • Achenbach
    		Wittern: "Mineralfundorte in Deutschland", 2001
    Greece
     
    • Attikí (Attica; Attika) Prefecture
      • Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium) District
        • Lavrion District Mines
          • Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium)
            • Lavrion Mines
    		No reference listed
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Chubu Region
        • Aichi prefecture
          • Shinshiro city
    		Matsubara, S. and Kato A. (1993) Jour. Japan Ass. Min. Petr. Econ. Geol., 88(11), 515-524 (in japanese).
    Romania
     
    CanMin 40:1693-1703.
      • Nucet
        • Băiţa Mining District (Baita Bihor; Rézbánya)
          • Codreanu Mine
    		Canadian Mineralogist Vol. 40, pp. 1693-1703 (2002)
    South Africa
     
    • Limpopo Province
      • Mabilikewe Hill
    		Minerals of South Africa
    USA
     
    • Nevada
      • Clark Co.
        • Bunkerville District
          • Whitney Pocket Basin
    		Rocks & Minerals, Nov. 1999.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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