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Halotrichite

Big Photo

Almería, Andalusia, Spain
© Paolo Grosso

Show Halotrichite Photos (54)
Formula:
FeAl
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Colourless to white, ...
Hardness:1½ - 2
Name:From the Latin form "halotrichum," which in turn is from the older German name Haarsalz (hair salt).


Halotrichite Group; Halotrichite-Pickeringite Series

At least a partial series entends toward Apjohnite.

Fe analogue of Pickeringite

Classification of Halotrichite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/C.12-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.CB.85

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
C : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, with H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations
Dana 8th edition ID:29.7.3.2

29 : HYDRATED ACID AND NORMAL SULFATES
7 : AB2(XO4)4·H2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:25.11.26

25 : Sulphates
11 : Sulphates of Fe and other metals
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Physical Properties of Halotrichite

Lustre:Vitreous
Colour:Colourless to white, yellowish, greenish; colourless in transmitted light.
Hardness (Mohs):1½ - 2
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
On {010}, poor.
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):1.89 g/cm3
Density (calculated):1.95 g/cm3
Comment:Pure end member values.

Crystallography of Halotrichite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2 - Sphenoidal
Space Group:P2 (P1 1 2) [P2] {P1 2 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 20.51Å, b = 24.29Å, c = 6.18Å
β = 100.99°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.844 : 1 : 0.254
Unit Cell Volume:V 3,022.34 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals acicular [001]; distinctly terminated crystals rare. Radial or matted aggregates of hair-like crystals; tufted; spheroidal; as incrustations or effloresences; asbestiform. Larger crystals may be hollow or contain bubbles of liquid or gas.

Optical Data of Halotrichite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.480 nβ = 1.486 nγ = 1.490
2V:Measured: 35° , Calculated: 78°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.010

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:none

Chemical Properties of Halotrichite

Formula:
FeAl
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, Fe, H, O, S
All elements listed in formula:Al, Fe, H, O, S
Analyical Data:
Completely soluble in water to an acid solution.

Relationship of Halotrichite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Pickeringite (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
7.CB.05Dwornikite
(Ni,Fe)SO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
7.CB.05Gunningite
(Zn,Mn)SO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
7.CB.05Kieserite
MgSO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
7.CB.05Poitevinite
(Cu,Fe,Zn)SO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
7.CB.05Szmikite
MnSO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
7.CB.05Szomolnokite
FeSO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
7.CB.05Cobaltkieserite
CoSO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
7.CB.10Bonattite
CuSO
 
4
·3H
 
2
O
7.CB.15Aplowite
(Co,Mn,Ni)SO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
7.CB.15Boyleite
(Zn,Mg)SO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
7.CB.15Ilesite
(Mn,Zn,Fe)SO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
7.CB.15Rozenite
FeSO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
7.CB.15Starkeyite
MgSO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
7.CB.15IMA2002-034
CdSO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
7.CB.20Chalcanthite
CuSO
 
4
·5H
 
2
O
7.CB.20Jôkokuite
MnSO
 
4
·5H
 
2
O
7.CB.20Pentahydrite
MgSO
 
4
·5H
 
2
O
7.CB.20Sanderite
MgSO
 
4
·2H
 
2
O
7.CB.20Siderotil
FeSO
 
4
·5H
 
2
O
7.CB.25Bianchite
(Zn,Fe)SO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
7.CB.25Chvaleticeite
(Mn,Mg)SO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
7.CB.25Ferrohexahydrite
FeSO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
7.CB.25Hexahydrite
MgSO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
7.CB.25Moorhouseite
(Co,Ni,Mn)SO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
7.CB.25Nickelhexahydrite
(Ni,Mg,Fe)SO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
7.CB.30Retgersite
NiSO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
7.CB.35Bieberite
CoSO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
7.CB.35Boothite
CuSO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
7.CB.35Mallardite
MnSO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
7.CB.35Melanterite
FeSO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
7.CB.35Zincmelanterite
(Zn,Cu,Fe)SO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
7.CB.35Alpersite
(Mg,Cu)[SO
 
4
] · 7H
 
2
O
7.CB.40Epsomite
MgSO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
7.CB.40Goslarite
ZnSO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
7.CB.40Morenosite
NiSO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
7.CB.45Alunogen
Al
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·17H
 
2
O
7.CB.45Meta-alunogen
Al
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·12H
 
2
O
7.CB.55Coquimbite
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·9H
 
2
O
7.CB.55Paracoquimbite
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·9H
 
2
O
7.CB.55Rhomboclase
HFe(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
7.CB.60Kornelite
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·7H
 
2
O
7.CB.65Quenstedtite
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·10H
 
2
O
7.CB.70Lausenite
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
7.CB.75Lishizhenite
ZnFe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·14H
 
2
O
7.CB.75Römerite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·14H
 
2
O
7.CB.80Ransomite
CuFe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
7.CB.85Apjohnite
Mn
2+
 
Al
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
7.CB.85Bílinite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
7.CB.85Dietrichite
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)Al
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
7.CB.85Pickeringite
MgAl
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
7.CB.85Redingtonite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg,Ni)(Cr,Al)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
7.CB.85Wupatkiite
(Co,Mg,Ni)Al
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
7.CB.90Meridianiite
MgSO
 
4
·11H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
25.11.1Natrojarosite
NaFe
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
25.11.2Sideronatrite
Na
 
2
Fe(SO
 
4
)
 
2
OH·3H
 
2
O
25.11.3Metasideronatrite
Na
 
4
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
25.11.4Ferrinatrite
Na
 
3
Fe(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·3H
 
2
O
25.11.5Amarillite
NaFe(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
25.11.6Yavapaiite
KFe(SO
 
4
)
 
2
25.11.7Krausite
KFe(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·H
 
2
O
25.11.8Goldichite
KFe(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
25.11.9Jarosite
KFe
3+
 
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
25.11.10Voltaite
K
 
2
Fe
2+
5
Fe
3+
3
Al[SO
 
4
]
 
12
 · 18H
 
2
O
25.11.11Ungemachite
K
 
3
Na
 
8
Fe(SO
 
4
)
 
6
(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
25.11.12Metavoltine
Na
 
6
K
 
2
FeFe
 
6
(SO
 
4
)
 
12
O
 
2
·18H
 
2
O
25.11.13Sabieite
NH
 
4
Fe(SO
 
4
)
 
2
25.11.14Ammoniojarosite
(NH
 
4
)Fe
3+
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
25.11.15Clairite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
Fe
 
3
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
3
·3H
 
2
O
25.11.16Mohrite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
Fe(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
25.11.17Lonecreekite
(NH
 
4
)Fe
3+
 
[SO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 12H
 
2
O
25.11.18Godovikovite
NH
 
4
(Al,Fe)(SO
 
4
)
 
2
25.11.19Botryogen
MgFe
3+
 
[OH|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 7H
 
2
O
25.11.21Slavíkite
NaMg
 
2
Fe
 
5
(SO
 
4
)
 
7
(OH)
 
6
·33H
 
2
O
25.11.23Sturmanite
Ca
 
6
(Fe
3+
 
,Al,Mn
3+
 
)
 
2
[(OH)
 
12
|B(OH)
 
4
|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 25H
 
2
O
25.11.24Millosevichite
(Al,Fe)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
25.11.25Aluminocopiapite
Al
 
2/3
Fe
3+
4
[OH|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
]
 
2
 · 20H
 
2
O
25.11.27Idrizite
(Mg,Fe)(Al,Fe)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
2
·15H
 
2
O or near
25.11.28Lishizhenite
ZnFe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·14H
 
2
O
25.11.29Zincovoltaite
K
 
2
Zn
 
5
Fe
3+
3
Al[SO
 
4
]
 
12
 · 18H
 
2
O

Other Names for Halotrichite

Synonyms:
Feather AlumHalotrichite (of Glocker)Iron AlumMountain Butter
French names:
Alotrichite
German names:
AlotrichitBergbutterEisenalaunFederalaun vom FreyenwaldeHalotrichit (of Glocker)
Hversalt
Italian names:
Halotrichine
Spanish names:
AlotrichitaHalotrichita
Varieties:
Masrite

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 Halotrichite

Reference List:Klaproth (1802) Beiträge zur Krystallographie und Mineralogie, Heidelberg: 3: 102 (as Federalaun vom Freyenwalde).

Glocker, E.F. (1839) Handbuch der Mineralogie, 2nd. edition, Nürnberg: 691 (as Halotrichit).

Forchhammer (1843) Jahresbericht über die Fortschritte der Chemie und Mineralogie, Tübingen: 23: 263 (as Hversalt).

Scacchi (1849) Mem. geol. camp. Nap.: 84 (as Halotrichine).

Uhlig (1912) Centralblatt für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paleontologie, Stuttgart: 723.

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 41.

Schairer and Lawson (1926) American Journal of Science: 11: 301.

Doelter, C. (1927) Handbuch der Mineral-chemie: 4 [2]: 523, 545.

Vavrinecz (1929) Magyar Chemiai Folyóirat, Budapest: 35: 1.

Hintze, Carl (1930) Handbuch der Mineralogie. Berlin and Leipzig. 6 volumes: 1 [3B]: 4505, 4512.

Kokta (1930) Přiroda, Brno: 32: 381.

Rutherford (1932) American Mineralogist: 17: 401.

Tokody (1933) Földtani Közlöny, Budapest (Magyarhone Földtani Torsulat): 62: 187.

Lo Sardo (1937) Periodico de Mineralogia-Roma: 8: 281.

Meixner and Pillewizer (1937) Zbl. Min.: 263.

Bandy (1938) American Mineralogist: 23: 724.

Gordon (1942) Academy of Science Philadelphia, Not. Nat. no. 101

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.: 523-527.

Canadian Mineralogist (1978): 16: 17.

Mihajlovic, T., Karanovic, L., Dimitrijevic, R. (2002) The crystal strcuture of halotricite (Fe 2+Al2(SO4)4·22H2O) from the mercury mine Šuplja Stena on Mt. Avala, Serbia. Jahrestagung der DGK, Kiel, 4.-7.3. (2002).

Internet Links for Halotrichite

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    Localities for Halotrichite

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