Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Mineral Chatroom The Mindat Store

Halotrichite

This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.
Big Photo

Almería, Andalusia, Spain
© Paolo Grosso

Show Halotrichite Photos (80)



Formula:
FeAl
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 22H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Colourless to white, ...
Hardness:1½ - 2
Member of:Halotrichite Group
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 extends 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
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-1809.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Physical Properties of Halotrichite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
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

Relationship of Halotrichite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Pickeringite (see here)
Member of:Halotrichite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Apjohnite
Mn
2+
 
Al
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 22H
 
2
O
Bílinite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 22H
 
2
O
Dietrichite
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)Al
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 22H
 
2
O
Pickeringite
MgAl
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
 · 22H
 
2
O
Redingtonite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg,Ni)(Cr,Al)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
Wupatkiite
(Co,Mg,Ni)Al
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
7.CB.05Dwornikite
(Ni,Fe)SO
 
4
 · H
 
2
O
7.CB.05Gunningite
ZnSO
 
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.07Sanderite
MgSO
 
4
 · 2H
 
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.15Drobecite
CdSO
 
4
 · 4H
 
2
O
7.CB.15Cranswickite
MgSO
 
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.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.50Aluminocoquimbite
FeAl(SO
 
4
)
 
3
 · 9H
 
2
O
7.CB.55Coquimbite
Fe
 
2-x
Al
 
x
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
 · 9H
 
2
O, x ~0.5
7.CB.55Paracoquimbite
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
 · 9H
 
2
O
7.CB.55Rhomboclase
(H
 
5
O
 
2
)Fe
3+
 
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 2H
 
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
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
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
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
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
3+
 
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
25.11.14Ammoniojarosite
(NH
 
4
)Fe
3+
3
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
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(SO
 
4
)
 
2
25.11.19Botryogen
MgFe
3+
 
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH) · 7H
 
2
O
25.11.21Slavíkite
(H
 
3
O
+
 
)
 
3
Mg
 
6
Fe
 
15
(SO
 
4
)
 
21
(OH)
 
18
 · 99H
 
2
O
25.11.23Sturmanite
Ca
 
6
(Fe
3+
 
,Al,Mn
3+
 
)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
[B(OH)
 
4
](OH)
 
12
 · 25H
 
2
O
25.11.24Millosevichite
(Al,Fe)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
25.11.25Aluminocopiapite
Al
 
2/3
Fe
3+
4
(SO
 
4
)
 
6
(OH)
 
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
Other Languages:
French:Alotrichite
German:Alotrichit
Bergbutter
Eisenalaun
Federalaun vom Freyenwalde
Halotrichit (of Glocker)
Hversalt
Italian:Halotrichine
Simplified Chinese:铁茂
Spanish:Alotrichita
Halotrichita
Varieties:
Masrite

Other Information

Other Information:Completely soluble in water to an acid solution.
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

Search Engines:
  • Look for Halotrichite on Google
  • Look for Halotrichite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Halotrichite on Webmineral
  • Look for Halotrichite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Halotrichite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Halotrichite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Halotrichite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • High-end worldwide specimens & outstanding customer service
  • Buy RARE Minerals from Rocks of Africa
  • Buy from David K Joyce minerals
  • Search for minerals at Heliodor
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • Fine Minerals from Weinrich Minerals, Inc.
  • webminerals
  • Wilensky Fine Minerals
  • The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals
  • Top quality minerals from Kristalle of California
  • Pricedownminerals.com - Reverse Auctions and Shop
  • By minerals from YourMineralCollection
    • Specimens:The following Halotrichite specimens are currently listed for sale on minfind.com.
    Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Localities for Halotrichite

    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.
    Show Locality List (326 Items)
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Search Google
     
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2011. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them. Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.
    Current server date and time: 29th Sep 2011 22:02:42
    Mineral and Locality Search
    Mineral:
    and/or Locality:
    Options
    Fade toolbar when not in focusFix toolbar to bottom of page
    Hide Social Media Links
    Slideshow frame delay seconds
    Locality Updated: Unnamed Au occurrence (12), La Porte, La Porte District, Plumas Co., California, USAFrom Chester S. Lemanski, Jr., 4th Feb 2012 00:22:53