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Holdenite

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Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Franklin Mining District, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA
© Elmar Lackner

Show Holdenite Photos (3)
Formula:
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
6
Zn
 
3
[(OH)
 
8
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
|SiO
 
4
]
System:OrthorhombicColour:Pink, yellowish red, ...
Hardness:4
Name:After Albert Fairchild Holden (1866-1913), mining engineer and mineral collector of Franklin, New Jersey, USA, in whose collection the type specimen was found.
This page provides mineralogical data about Holdenite.

Classification of Holdenite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/B.10-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.BE.55

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
E : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 > 2:1
Dana 8th edition ID:43.4.7.1

43 : COMPOUND PHOSPHATES, ETC.
4 : Anhydrous Compound Phosphates, etc·, Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
Hey's CIM Ref.:20.3.15

20 : Arsenates (also arsenates with phosphate, but without other anions)
3 : Arsenates of Zn, Cd or Hg
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Type Occurrence of Holdenite

Type Locality:Franklin, Franklin Mining District, Sussex Co., New Jersey, USA
Year of Discovery:1921
Geological Setting of type material:In a veinlet coursing through massive ore in a metamorphosed sedimentary Pre-cambrian Zn-Fe-Mn ore body.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
WillemitePyrochroiteGalenaBaryte

Physical Properties of Holdenite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:Pink, yellowish red, deep red; pink in transmitted light.
Hardness (Mohs):4
Cleavage:Poor/Indistinct
On {010}, poor.
Fracture:Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.11 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.27 g/cm3
Comment:Calculated value on Franklin, NJ, material

Crystallography of Holdenite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Cell Parameters:a = 11.99Å, b = 31.46Å, c = 8.69Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.381 : 1 : 0.276
Unit Cell Volume:V 3,277.91 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals equant to thick tabular {100}, with α and u relatively large.

Optical Data of Holdenite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.769 nβ = 1.770 nγ = 1.785
2V:Measured: 30° , Calculated: 30°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.016

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

Chemical Properties of Holdenite

Formula:
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
6
Zn
 
3
[(OH)
 
8
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
|SiO
 
4
]
Essential elements:As, H, Mn, O, Si, Zn
All elements listed in formula:As, H, Mg, Mn, O, Si, Zn

Relationship of Holdenite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
8.BE.05Augelite
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|PO
 
4
]
8.BE.10Grattarolaite
Fe
3+
 
[O
 
3
|PO
 
4
]
8.BE.15Cornetite
Cu
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|PO
 
4
]
8.BE.20Clinoclase
Cu
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|AsO
 
4
]
8.BE.25Arhbarite
Cu
 
2
Mg[(OH)
 
3
|AsO
 
4
]
8.BE.25Gilmarite
Cu
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|AsO
 
4
]
8.BE.30Allactite
Mn
2+
7
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
8
8.BE.30Flinkite
Mn
2+
2
Mn
3+
 
AsO
 
4
(OH)
 
4
8.BE.30Raadeite
Mg
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
8
8.BE.35Chlorophoenicite
(Mn,Mg)
 
3
Zn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH,O)
 
6
8.BE.35Magnesiochlorophoenicite
(Mg,Mn)
 
3
Zn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH,O)
 
6
8.BE.40Gerdtremmelite
(Zn,Fe)(Al,Fe)
 
2
AsO
 
4
(OH)
 
5
8.BE.45Dixenite
CuMn
2+
14
Fe
2+
 
[(OH)
 
6
|(AsO
 
3
)
 
5
|AsO
 
4
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
]
8.BE.45Hematolite
(Mn,Mg,Al)
 
15
(AsO
 
3
)(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
23
8.BE.45Kraisslite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
24
Zn
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
4
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
8
]
8.BE.45Mcgovernite
(Mn,Mg,Zn)
 
273
As
3+
~12
As
5+
~30
Si
 
~42
O
 
324
(OH)
 
252
8.BE.45Arakiite
(Zn,Mn
2+
 
)(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
12
(Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
(AsO
 
3
)(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
23
8.BE.45Turtmannite
(Mn,Mg)
 
22.5
Mg
 
3-3x
[(V,As)O
 
4
]
 
3
[SiO
 
4
]
 
3
[AsO
 
3
]
 
x
O
 
5-5x
(OH)
 
20+x
8.BE.50Synadelphite
Mn
2+
9
[(OH)
 
9
|As
3+
 
O
 
3
|(As
5+
 
O
 
4
)
 
2
] · 2H
 
2
O
8.BE.60Kolicite
Mn
2+
7
Zn
 
4
[(OH)
 
8
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
|(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
]
8.BE.65Sabelliite
(Cu,Zn)
 
2
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|(AsO
 
4
,SbO
 
4
)]
8.BE.70Jarosewichite
Mn
 
3
MnAsO
 
4
(OH)
 
6
8.BE.75Theisite
Cu
 
5
Zn
 
5
[(OH)
 
7
|(AsO
 
4
,SbO
 
4
)]
 
2
8.BE.80Coparsite
Cu
 
4
[O
 
2
|Cl|(AsO
 
4
,VO
 
4
)]
8.BE.85Waterhouseite
Mn
2+
7
[(OH)
 
8
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
20.3.1Adamite
Zn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
20.3.2Paradamite
Zn
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
20.3.3Koritnigite
Zn[HAsO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
20.3.4Legrandite
Zn
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
20.3.5Warikahnite
Zn
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
20.3.6Köttigite
Zn
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
20.3.7Stranskiite
(Zn,Cu)
 
3
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
20.3.8Philipsburgite
(Cu,Zn)
 
6
[(OH)
 
3
|(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
20.3.9Austinite
CaZn[OH|AsO
 
4
]
20.3.10Prosperite
CaZn
 
2
[OH|HAsO
 
4
|AsO
 
4
]
20.3.11Gaitite
Ca
 
2
Zn[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
20.3.12Zincroselite
Ca
 
2
Zn[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
20.3.13O'Danielite
Na(Zn,Mg)
 
3
H
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
20.3.14Johillerite
Na(Mg,Zn)
 
3
Cu[AsO
 
4
]
 
3
20.3.16Chudobaite
(Na,K)(Mg,Zn)
 
2
H(AsO
 
4
)(OH,O)
 
6
20.3.17Chlorophoenicite
(Mn,Mg)
 
3
Zn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH,O)
 
6
20.3.18Lotharmeyerite
Ca(Zn,Mn
3+
 
)
 
2
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2(H
 
2
O,OH)
20.3.19Metaköttigite
(Zn,Fe,Fe)
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·8(H
 
2
O,OH)
20.3.20Ojuelaite
ZnFe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
20.3.21Fahleite
Zn
 
5
CaFe
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
6
·14H
 
2
O
20.3.22Keyite
(Cu,Zn,Cd)
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2

Other Names for Holdenite

German names:
Holdenit
Russian names:
Холденит
Spanish names:
Holdenita

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 Holdenite

Reference List:Palache, C. and Shannon (1927) American Mineralogist: 12: 144.

Prewitt-Hopkins (1949) American Mineralogist: 34: 589.

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.: 775-777.

American Mineralogist (1977): 62: 513-521.

Internet Links for Holdenite

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

    Hide Locality List
    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.
    USA
     
    • New Jersey
      • Sussex Co.
        • Franklin Mining District
    		Palache, C. (1935), USGS Professional Paper 180:125; 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: 777; Dunn, P.J. (1995): Part3: 376.
          • Ogdensburg
            • Sterling Hill
    		Dunn, P.J., Mineralogical Record:12: 373-375; Dunn, P.J. (1995): Part 3: 376.
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