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Jarosite

Big Photo

Christiana Mine, Kamariza Mines, Agios Konstantinos [St Constantine] (Kamariza), Lavrion District Mines, Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium) District, Attikí (Attica; Attika) Prefecture, Greece
© Steve Rust

Show Jarosite Photos (108)
Formula:
KFe
3+
 
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
System:TrigonalColour:Amber-yellow, ...
Lustre:Sub-Adamantine, Vitreous, ResinousHardness:2½ - 3½
Name:Named in 1852 after the type locality, Barranco Jaroso in southern Spain.


Alunite Group, Jarosite Subgroup

Usually found as amber-yellow to brown crusts or coatings of minute crystals, larger crystals rather rare.

Classification of Jarosite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/B.11-60
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.BC.10

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
B : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, without H2O
C : With medium-sized and large cations
Dana 7th edition ID:30.2.5.1
Dana 8th edition ID:30.2.5.1

30 : ANHYDROUS SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
2 : (AB)2(XO4)Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:25.11.9

25 : Sulphates
11 : Sulphates of Fe and other metals
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Type Occurrence of Jarosite

Type Locality:Jaroso Ravine, Sierra Almagrera, Cuevas de Almanzora, Almería, Andalusia, Spain
Year of Discovery:1852

Occurrences of Jarosite

Geological Setting:A secondary mineral found in the oxidized zones of sulfide deposits, forming by the reaction of dilute sulfuric acid in ground water, derived from the oxidation of pyrite, with gangue minerals and wall rock in the deposits.

Physical Properties of Jarosite

Lustre:Sub-Adamantine, Vitreous, Resinous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Comment:Sub-adamantine to vitreous on crystal faces; resinous on fractures.
Colour:Amber-yellow, yellow-brown, to brown or light yellow.
Streak:Pale-yellow
Hardness (Mohs):2½ - 3½
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
Distinct on {0001}.
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density (measured):2.9 - 3.26 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.25 g/cm3

Crystallography of Jarosite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3m (3 2/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Space Group:R3m (R3 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 7.304Å, c = 17.268Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 2.364
Unit Cell Volume:V 797.80 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:3
Morphology:Crystals usually tiny, pseudocubic {01-13} or tabular {0001}. Typically found as granular crusts, it may also be in nodules or fibrous masses, pulverulent to earthy, or concretionary.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
5.93(50)
5.09(70)
3.65(40)
3.11(80)
3.08(100)
2.29(40)
1.98(50)

Optical Data of Jarosite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.815 - 1.820 nε = 1.713 - 1.715
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.102 - 0.105

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:High
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:Ε (X) = Colourless
(Y) = Reddish brown
Ο (Z) = Reddish brown
Comments:Commonly aomalously biaxial with a very small 2V and sectional development.

Chemical Properties of Jarosite

Formula:
KFe
3+
 
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
Essential elements:Fe, H, K, O, S
All elements listed in formula:Fe, H, K, O, S
Common Impurities:Na,Ag,Pb

Relationship of Jarosite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Natrojarosite (see here)
Related to:
  • Alunite Group
  • Jarosite Subgroup
    • Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

    - +
    7.BC.05D'Ansite
    Na
     
    21
    		Mg(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    10
    		Cl
     
    3
    7.BC.10Alunite
    KAl
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.10Ammonioalunite
    (NH
     
    4
    		)Al
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.10Ammoniojarosite
    (NH
     
    4
    		)Fe
    3+
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.10Argentojarosite
    AgFe
    3+
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.10Beaverite
    Pb(Fe
    3+
     
    		,Cu,Al)
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.10Dorallcharite
    (Tl,K)Fe
    3+
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.10Huangite
    CaAl
     
    6
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    4
    7.BC.10Hydroniumjarosite
    (H
     
    3
    		O)Fe
    3+
    3
    		(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		(OH)
     
    6
    7.BC.10Minamiite
    (Na,Ca
     
    0.5
    		,K)Al
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.10Natroalunite
    (Na,K)Al
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.10Natrojarosite
    NaFe
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.10Osarizawaite
    Pb(Al,Cu)
     
    3
    		[(OH,H
     
    2
    		O)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.10Plumbojarosite
    PbFe
    3+
    6
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    4
    7.BC.10Schlossmacherite
    (H
     
    3
    		O,Ca)Al
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    6
    		|(SO
     
    4
    		,AsO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		]
    7.BC.10Walthierite
    BaAl
     
    6
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    4
    7.BC.15Ye'elimite
    Ca
     
    4
    		Al
     
    6
    		[O
     
    12
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
    7.BC.20Atlasovite
    K(BiO)Cu
     
    6
    		Fe
    3+
     
    		[Cl|O
     
    3
    		|(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    5
    		]
    7.BC.20Nabokoite
    KCu
     
    7
    		Te
    4+
     
    		[Cl|O
     
    4
    		|(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    5
    		]
    7.BC.25Chlorothionite
    K
     
    2
    		Cu[Cl
     
    2
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
    7.BC.30Euchlorine
    KNaCu
     
    3
    		[O|(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    3
    		]
    7.BC.30Fedotovite
    K
     
    2
    		Cu
     
    3
    		[O|(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    3
    		]
    7.BC.35Kamchatkite
    KCu
     
    3
    		[O|Cl|(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		]
    7.BC.40Piypite
    K
     
    2
    		Cu
     
    2
    		[O|(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		]
    7.BC.45Klyuchevskite
    K
     
    3
    		Cu
     
    3
    		(Fe
    3+
     
    		,Al)[O|(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.45Alumoklyuchevskite
    K
     
    3
    		Cu
     
    3
    		(Al,Fe
    3+
     
    		)[O|(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.50Caledonite
    Cu
     
    2
    		Pb
     
    5
    		[(OH)
     
    6
    		|CO
     
    3
    		|(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    3
    		]
    7.BC.55Wherryite
    Pb
     
    7
    		Cu
     
    2
    		(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    4
    		(SiO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		(OH)
     
    2
    7.BC.60Mammothite
    Pb
     
    6
    		Cu
     
    4
    		AlSb[(OH)
     
    9
    		|Cl
     
    2
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.65Linarite
    PbCu[(OH)
     
    2
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
    7.BC.65Schmiederite
    Pb
     
    2
    		Cu
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    4
    		|SeO
     
    3
    		|SeO
     
    4
    		]
    7.BC.65Munakataite
    Pb
     
    2
    		Cu
     
    2
    		(Se
    4+
     
    		O
     
    3
    		)(SO
     
    4
    		)(OH)
     
    4
    7.BC.70Chenite
    Pb
     
    4
    		Cu[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    7.BC.75Krivovichevite
    Pb
     
    3
    		[Al(OH)
     
    6
    		](SO
     
    4
    		)(OH)
    7.BC.80Anhydrokainite
    KMgClSO
     
    4
    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
    25.11.10Voltaite
    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
    25.11.26Halotrichite
    FeAl
     
    2
    		(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    4
    		·22H
     
    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
    Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):

    - +
    30.2.5.3Hydroniumjarosite
    (H
     
    3
    		O)Fe
    3+
    3
    		(SO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		(OH)
     
    6
    30.2.5.5Argentojarosite
    AgFe
    3+
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    30.2.5.6Plumbojarosite
    PbFe
    3+
    6
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|SO
     
    4
    		]
     
    4

    Other Names for Jarosite

    Synonyms:
    AntunesiteAntuneziteJarosite (of Breithaupt)LeucanteriteMoronolite
    Other Languages:
    Catalan:Jarosita
    Dutch:Jarosiet
    German:Jarosit
    Antunesit
    Antunezit
    Antunit
    Leucanterit
    Pastréit
    Vitriolgelb
    Hungarian:Jarosit
    Italian:Jarosite
    Polish:Jarosyt
    Portuguese:Jarosita
    Russian:Ярозит
    Spanish:Jarosita
    Antunesita
    Antunezita
    Leucanterita
    Varieties:
    Calcium-JarositeKolosorukite

    Other Information

    Electrical:Strongly pyroelectric.
    Other Information:Insoluble in water; soluble in HCl.
    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 Jarosite

    Reference List:Rammelsberg (1838) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 43: 132 (as Gelbeisenerz).

    Haidinger, Wm. (1845): 512 (as Misy).

    Hausmann, J.F.L. (1847) Handbuch der Mineralogie 3 volumes, Göttingen. Second edition: vol. 2, in two parts: 1205 (as Vitriolgelb).

    Breithaupt (1852) Berg.- und hüttenmännisches Zeitung, Freiberg, Leipzig (merged into Glückauf): 6: 68 (as Jarosit).

    Shepard C.U. (1857) Treatise on Mineralogy, third edition: vol. 2: 4 (suppl. app.) (as Moronolite).

    Bergemann (1866) Naturhistorischer Verein der Rheinlande und Westfalens, Bonn. Sitzungsberichte Verhandlungen: 27: 17 (as Pastréit).

    Weisbach, Albin (1875) Synopsis mineralogical, systematische Übersicht des Mineralreiches., 1st. edition, 78 pp., Freiberg: 42 (Kolosorukite variety).

    Koenig (1880) American Chemical Journal: 2: 375.

    Koenig (1880) Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia: 331.

    Genth (1890) American Journal of Science: 39: 73.

    Penfield (1890) American Journal of Science: 39: 73.

    Dana, E.S. (1892) System of Mineralogy, 6th. Edition, New York: 974.

    Azema (1910) Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie: 33: 130.

    Schaller (1916) USGS Bull. 610: 137.

    Hintze, Carl (1889) Handbuch der Mineralogie. Berlin and Leipzig. 6 volumes: 1 [3]: 4200.

    Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 92.

    Gordon (1925) Proceedings of the Academy of Science, Philadelphia: 77: 1.

    Locke (1926) Leached Outcrops as Guides to Copper Ore: 107.

    Jirkovsky (1927) Časopis Nârod. Musea, Prague, Czech Republic: 101: 151.

    Westgate and Knopf (1932) USGS Professional Paper 171: 47.

    Hendricks (1937) American Mineralogist: 22: 773.

    Blanchard (1944) American Mineralogist: 29: 111.

    Breshenkov (1946) Comptes rendus de l’académie des sciences de l’U.R.S.S.: 52: 329.

    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.: 560-562.

    Canadian Mineralogist (1976): 14: 156.

    Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1976): 406-417.

    Gaines, Richard V., H. Catherine, W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason, Abraham Rosenzweig (1997), Dana's New Mineralogy : The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana: 630.

    Drouet, C. and Navrotsky, A. (2003) Synthesis, characterization, and thermochemistry of K-Na-H3O jarosites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta: 67: 2063-2076.

    Drouet, C., Baron, D., and Navrotsky, N. (2003) On the thermochemistry of the solid solution between jarosite and its chromate analog. American Mineralogist: 88: 1949-1954.

    Internet Links for Jarosite

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  • Jarosite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Jarosite

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