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Hercynite

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Laach lake volcanic complex, Eifel, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany
© Stephan Wolfsried

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Formula:
Fe
2+
 
Al
 
2
O
 
4
System:IsometricColour:Dark blue-green, yellow, ...
Hardness:7½
Member of:Spinel Group
Name:From the Latin name for the Bohemian Forest, Silva Hercynia, where the species was first found.


Spinel Group, Al series. Chromite-Hercynite Series. Gahnite-Hercynite Series, Spinel-Hercynite Series.

Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Hercynite. Currently in public beta-test.

Classification of Hercynite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/B.01-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.BB.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
B : Metal: Oxygen = 3:4 and similar
B : With only medium-sized cations
Dana 8th edition ID:7.2.1.3

7 : MULTIPLE OXIDES
2 : AB2X4
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.20.14

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
20 : Oxides of Fe
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Type Occurrence of Hercynite

Type Locality:Poběžovice (Ronsperg; Ronsberg; Ronsperk), Plzeň Region, Bohemia (Böhmen; Boehmen), Czech Republic
Year of Discovery:1847

Physical Properties of Hercynite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:Dark blue-green, yellow, brown
Streak:Dark greyish green to dark green
Hardness (Mohs):7½
Tenacity:Brittle
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (calculated):4.39 g/cm3

Crystallography of Hercynite

Crystal System:Isometric
Class (H-M):m3m (4/m 3 2/m) - Hexoctahedral
Space Group:Fd3m {F41/d 3 2/m}
Cell Parameters:a = 8.119Å
Unit Cell Volume:V 535.19 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals usually octahedral.
Twinning:Common on {111}, (spinel law).

Optical Data of Hercynite

Type:Isotropic

Chemical Properties of Hercynite

Formula:
Fe
2+
 
Al
 
2
O
 
4
Essential elements:Al, Fe, O
All elements listed in formula:Al, Fe, O

Relationship of Hercynite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Spinel (see here)
Forms a series with Gahnite (see here)
Forms a series with Chromite (see here)
Member of:Spinel Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Brunogeierite
Fe
2+
2
Ge
4+
 
O
 
4
Chromite
Fe
2+
 
Cr
3+
2
O
 
4
Cochromite
(Co,Ni,Fe)(Cr,Al)
 
2
O
 
4
Coulsonite
Fe
2+
 
V
3+
2
O
 
4
Cuprospinel
Cu
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
Filipstadite
(Mn,Mg)
 
2
(Sb
 
.5
Fe
 
.5
)O
 
4
Franklinite
Zn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
Gahnite
ZnAl
 
2
O
 
4
Galaxite
(Mn,Fe,Mg)(Al,Fe)
 
2
O
 
4
Jacobsite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
Magnesiochromite
Mg(Cr,Al,Fe)
 
2
O
 
4
Magnesiocoulsonite
MgV
 
2
O
 
4
Magnesioferrite
MgFe
3+
2
O
 
4
Magnetite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
Manganochromite
(Mn,Fe)(Cr,V)
 
2
O
 
4
Nichromite
(Ni,Co,Fe)(Cr,Fe,Al)
 
2
O
 
4
Qandilite
(Mg,Fe)
 
2
(Ti,Fe,Al)O
 
4
Spinel
MgAl
 
2
O
 
4
Trevorite
Ni
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
Ulvöspinel
Fe
 
2
TiO
 
4
Vuorelainenite
(Mn,Fe)(V,Cr)
 
2
O
 
4
Zincochromite
ZnCr
 
2
O
 
4
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.BB.05Brunogeierite
Fe
2+
2
Ge
4+
 
O
 
4
4.BB.05Chromite
Fe
2+
 
Cr
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Cochromite
(Co,Ni,Fe)(Cr,Al)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Coulsonite
Fe
2+
 
V
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Cuprospinel
Cu
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Filipstadite
(Mn,Mg)
 
2
(Sb
 
.5
Fe
 
.5
)O
 
4
4.BB.05Franklinite
Zn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Gahnite
ZnAl
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Galaxite
(Mn,Fe,Mg)(Al,Fe)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Jacobsite
Mn
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Manganochromite
(Mn,Fe)(Cr,V)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Magnesiocoulsonite
MgV
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Magnesiochromite
Mg(Cr,Al,Fe)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Magnesioferrite
MgFe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Magnetite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Nichromite
(Ni,Co,Fe)(Cr,Fe,Al)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Qandilite
(Mg,Fe)
 
2
(Ti,Fe,Al)O
 
4
4.BB.05Spinel
MgAl
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Trevorite
Ni
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Ulvöspinel
Fe
 
2
TiO
 
4
4.BB.05Vuorelainenite
(Mn,Fe)(V,Cr)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.05Zincochromite
ZnCr
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.10Hausmannite
MnMn
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.10Hetaerolite
ZnMn
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.10Hydrohetaerolite
ZnMn
 
2
O
 
4
 · H
 
2
O
4.BB.10Iwakiite
Mn(Fe,Mn)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.15Maghemite
Fe
3+
2
O
 
3
4.BB.15Titanomaghemite
Fe
3+
 
(Fe
3+
 
,Ti
4+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,◻)
 
2
O
 
4
4.BB.20Tegengrenite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
Sb
5+
0.5
(Mn
3+
 
,Si,Ti)
 
0.5
O
 
4
4.BB.25Xieite
Fe
2+
 
Cr
 
2
O
 
4
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
7.20.1Wüstite
FeO
7.20.2Magnetite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
O
 
4
7.20.3Maghemite
Fe
3+
2
O
 
3
7.20.4Hematite
Fe
 
2
O
 
3
7.20.5Goethite
α-Fe
3+
 
O(OH)
7.20.6Akaganeite
β-Fe
3+
 
O(OH,Cl)
7.20.7Feroxyhyte
Fe
3+
 
O(OH)
7.20.8Lepidocrocite
γ-Fe
3+
 
O(OH)
7.20.9Ferrihydrite
Fe
3+
5
O
 
3
(OH)
 
9
7.20.10Amakinite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)(OH)
 
2
7.20.11Magnesioferrite
MgFe
3+
2
O
 
4
7.20.12Muskoxite
Mg
 
7
Fe
 
4
O
 
13
 · 10H
 
2
O
7.20.13Srebrodolskite
Ca
 
2
Fe
3+
2
O
 
5
7.20.15Brownmillerite
Ca
 
2
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
5

Other Names for Hercynite

Synonyms:
ChrysomelaneHercynite (of Zippe)Iron-magnesia Spinel (Synonym)Iron Spinel
Other Languages:
German:Hercynit
Russian:Герцинит
Simplified Chinese:铁尖晶石
Spanish:Hercynita
Varieties:
ChromohercyniteChrompicotiteCobaltochrompicotitePicotite

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 Hercynite

Reference List:

- +
Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Seventh edition, Volume I: 689-697.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Abhandlungen: 115: 120-122.

European Journal of Mineralogy: 6: 39-51.

Andreozzi, G.B. and Lucchesi, S. (2002) Intersite distribution of Fe 2+ and Mg in the spinel (sensu-stricto)-hercynite series by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. American Mineralogist: 87: 1113-1120.

Internet Links for Hercynite

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    • Localities for Hercynite

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    Locality Updated: Caroline Mine, Thale, Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, GermanyFrom Thomas Lühr, 23rd May 2013 19:48:26