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Adamite

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Big Photo

Ojuela Mine, Mapimí, Mun. de Mapimí, Durango, Mexico
© Steve Rust

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Formula:
Zn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
System:OrthorhombicColour:Ideally white, ...
Lustre:Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous, Waxy, GreasyHardness:3½
Member of:Olivenite Group
Name:Named by Charles Friedel in 1866 for Gilbert-Joseph Adam (April 7, 1795 Seine-et-Marne, Fontainbleu, France - 1881 Paris, France), French mineralogist, who supplied the first specimens.
Dimorph of:Paradamite


Olivenite Group.
The orthorhombic dimorph of Paradamite.
Adamite-Olivenite Series

Adamite forms a solid solution with the copper arsenate Olivenite, and the intermediate, structurally distinct member Zincolivenite. (Note: 'zincolivenite' or 'Zn-olivenite' were also used for Zn-bearing olivenites with unspecified Zn:Cu ratios prior to the recognition and approval of zincolivenite as a distinct species.)

A secondary mineral found in zinc deposits containing arsenic-bearing minerals.

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

Classification of Adamite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered" 1866
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/B.06-30
Strunz 9th edition ID:8.BB.30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.BB.30

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 about 1:1
Dana 7th edition ID:41.6.6.3
Dana 8th edition ID:41.6.6.3

41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : A2(XO4)Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:20.3.1

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

Type Locality:Chañarcillo, Copiapó Province, Atacama Region, Chile
Year of Discovery:1866
Associated Minerals at type locality:
SilverLimoniteChlorargyrite

Occurrences of Adamite

Geological Setting:A secondary mineral in the oxidised zone of zinc- and arsenic-bearing hydrothermal mineral deposits.

Physical Properties of Adamite

Lustre:Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous, Waxy, Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Ideally white, colourless, frequently pale yellow, honey-yellow, brownish yellow, rose red; blue, pale green to green, may be zoned; bright green (cuprian); bright pink, purple (cobaltian)
Comment:colourless or faintly tinted in transmitted light.
Streak:white
Hardness (Mohs):3½
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Very brittle
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
on {101}, good; on {010}, poor.
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.32 - 4.48 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.435 g/cm3

Crystallography of Adamite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:Pnnm {P21/n 21/n 2/m}
Space Group Setting:Pnnm
Cell Parameters:a = 8.304Å, b = 8.524Å, c = 6.036Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.974 : 1 : 0.708
Unit Cell Volume:V 427.25 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Crystals of variable morphology. Often elongated [010], also elongated [001], rarely elongated [100]. Tabular at times {101} or equant. Commonly forms radial aggregates, fanlike rosettes or crystalline crusts.
Crystal Atlas:
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Adamite no.1 - Goldschmidt (1913)






Adamite

{101}, {110}, {111}

Locality: Cap Garonne, Toulon, France

Reference: Descloizeaux, 1874. In: V.M. Goldschmidt, Atlas der Krystallformen, 1913-1923 (\'Adamin\').

Crystal system: Orthorhombic

Point group: mmm



');">






Adamite

{101}, {110}, {111}

Locality: Cap Garonne, Toulon, France

Reference: Descloizeaux, 1874. In: V.M. Goldschmidt, Atlas der Krystallformen, 1913-1923 (\'Adamin\').

Crystal system: Orthorhombic

Point group: mmm



');">
Adamite no.2 - Goldschmidt (1913)






Adamite

{101}, modified

Locality: Laurion, Greece

Reference: Laspeyres, 1878; Dana, 1892. In: V.M. Goldschmidt, Atlas der Krystallformen, 1913-1923 (\'Adamin\').

Crystal system: Orthorhombic

Point group: mmm



');">






Adamite

{101}, modified

Locality: Laurion, Greece

Reference: Laspeyres, 1878; Dana, 1892. In: V.M. Goldschmidt, Atlas der Krystallformen, 1913-1923 (\'Adamin\').

Crystal system: Orthorhombic

Point group: mmm



');">
Adamite no.3 - Goldschmidt (1913)






Adamite

{100}, {110}, {011}, modified

Locality: Laurion, Greece

Reference: Laspeyres, 1878. In: V.M. Goldschmidt, Atlas der Krystallformen, 1913-1923 (\'Adamin\').

Crystal system: Orthorhombic

Point group: mmm



');">






Adamite

{100}, {110}, {011}, modified

Locality: Laurion, Greece

Reference: Laspeyres, 1878. In: V.M. Goldschmidt, Atlas der Krystallformen, 1913-1923 (\'Adamin\').

Crystal system: Orthorhombic

Point group: mmm



');">
Adamite no.4 - Goldschmidt (1913)
Adamite no.5 - Goldschmidt (1913)
Adamite no.6 - Goldschmidt (1913)
Adamite no.7 - Goldschmidt (1913)
Adamite no.8 - Goldschmidt (1913)
Adamite no.9 - Goldschmidt (1913)
Adamite no.10 - Goldschmidt (1913)

About Crystal Atlas

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The mindat.org Crystal Atlas allows you to view a selection of crystal drawings of real and idealised crystal forms for this mineral and, in certain cases, 3d rotating crystal objects. You need Java to see these. You can download Java for free - click here to download Java

The 3d models and java code are kindly provided by www.smorf.nl. You can control the movement of the models by holding down the left mouse-button over the 3d model and moving your mouse. Keyboard controls are:

: default positions
t/T: decrease/increase transparency x/X: next/previous texture
b/B: next/previous background w: toggle wireframe
s: toggle sticks m: toggle miller indices
k: toggle crystallographic axes =/-: zoom in/out
r: stop/start rotation 1/2/3
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
5.944 (60)
4.897 (90)
4.242 (60)
2.967 (90)
2.698 (80)
2.448 (100)
1.608 (80)

Optical Data of Adamite

Type:Biaxial (+/-)
RI values: nα = 1.708 - 1.722 nβ = 1.742 - 1.744 nγ = 1.763 - 1.773
2V:Measured: 78° to 90°, Calculated: 74° to 84°
Birefringence:0.05
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.055

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:High
Dispersion:strong r > v or r < v
Pleochroism:Weak
Comments:In pale colours if cuprian or cobaltian.

Chemical Properties of Adamite

Formula:
Zn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
Essential elements:As, H, O, Zn
All elements listed in formula:As, H, O, Zn
Common Impurities:Cu,Fe,Co

Relationship of Adamite to other Species

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

- +
Auriacusite
Fe
3+
 
Cu
2+
 
(AsO
 
4
)O
Eveite
Mn
2+
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
Libethenite
Cu
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
Olivenite
Cu
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
Paradamite
Zn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
Tarbuttite
Zn
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
Zincolivenite
CuZn(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
Common Associates:
SmithsoniteScoroditeQuartzOliveniteMimetite
MalachiteLimoniteHemimorphiteCalciteAzurite
Austinite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.BB.05Amblygonite
LiAl(PO
 
4
)F
8.BB.05Montebrasite
LiAl(PO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.05Tavorite
LiFe
3+
 
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.10Triplite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(F,OH)
8.BB.10Zwieselite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)F
8.BB.15Sarkinite
Mn
2+
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.15Triploidite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.15Wagnerite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)F
8.BB.15Wolfeite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.15Stanĕkite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)Fe
3+
 
(PO
 
4
)O
8.BB.15Joosteite
Mn
2+
 
(Mn
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)(PO
 
4
)O
8.BB.15Hydroxylwagnerite
Mg
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.20Holtedahlite
Mg
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.20Satterlyite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH,O)
8.BB.25Althausite
Mg
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH,F)
8.BB.30Eveite
Mn
2+
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.30Libethenite
Cu
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.30Olivenite
Cu
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.30Zincolibethenite
CuZn(PO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.30Zincolivenite
CuZn(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.30Auriacusite
Fe
3+
 
Cu
2+
 
(AsO
 
4
)O
8.BB.35Paradamite
Zn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.35Tarbuttite
Zn
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.40Barbosalite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
8.BB.40Hentschelite
CuFe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
8.BB.40Lazulite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
8.BB.40Scorzalite
Fe
2+
 
Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
8.BB.40Wilhelmkleinite
ZnFe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
8.BB.45Trolleite
Al
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
8.BB.50Namibite
Cu(BiO)
 
2
(VO
 
4
)(OH)
8.BB.55Phosphoellenbergerite
Mg
 
14
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
(HPO
 
4
,CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
8.BB.60Urusovite
CuAl(AsO
 
4
)O
8.BB.65Theoparacelsite
Cu
 
3
(As
 
2
O
 
7
)(OH)
 
2
8.BB.70Turanite
Cu
 
5
(VO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
4
8.BB.75Stoiberite
Cu
 
5
(VO
 
4
)
 
2
O
 
2
8.BB.80Fingerite
Cu
 
11
(VO
 
4
)
 
6
O
 
2
8.BB.85Averievite
Cu
 
6
(VO
 
4
)
 
2
O
 
2
Cl
 
2
8.BB.90Lipscombite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
8.BB.90Richellite
CaFe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH,F)
 
2
8.BB.90Zinclipscombite
ZnFe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
20.3.2Paradamite
Zn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
20.3.3Koritnigite
Zn(HAsO
 
4
) · H
 
2
O
20.3.4Legrandite
Zn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(OH) · 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
 
2
Cu(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
20.3.8Philipsburgite
(Cu,Zn)
 
6
(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
 · H
 
2
O
20.3.9Austinite
CaZn(AsO
 
4
)(OH)
20.3.10Prosperite
CaZn
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(HAsO
 
4
)(OH)
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
20.3.15Holdenite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
6
Zn
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)(OH)
 
8
20.3.16Chudobaite
(Mg,Zn)
 
5
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(HAsO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 10H
 
2
O
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
2+
3
Zn
 
4
Cd
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
6
 · 2H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):

- +
41.6.6.2Libethenite
Cu
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(OH)

Other Names for Adamite

Synonyms:
Adamite (of Friedel)
Other Languages:
Basque:Adamita
Catalan:Adamita
Dutch:Adamiet
Estonian:Adamiit
French:Adamite
Adamine
German:Adamin
Adamit
Italian:Adamite
Japanese:アダマイト
Latvian:Adamīns
Low Saxon:Adamin
Polish:Adamin
Portuguese:Adamite
Russian:Адамин
Simplified Chinese:水砷锌矿
Slovak:Adamit
Spanish:Adamita
Swedish:Adamit
Ukrainian:Адамін
Varieties:
Alumino AdamiteCobaltoan AdamiteCuprian AdamiteManganoan AdamiteNickeloan Adamite

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:May fluoresce or phosphoresce lemon-yellow under SW and LW UV.
Other Information:Readily soluble in dilute acids.
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 Adamite

Reference List:

- +
Friedel (1866) Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences de Paris, 62, 692 (as Adamine).

Damour (1868) Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences de Paris: 67: 1124.

Dana, J.D. (1868) System of Mineralogy, 5th. Edition, New York: 565.

Pisani (1870) Comptes rendus de l’Académie des sciences de Paris: 70: 1001.

Friedel (1878) Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie: 1: 31.

de Schulten (1903) Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie: 26: 91.

Rosický (1910) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 48: 656.

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 35.

Ungemach (1922) Bulletin de la Société française de Minéralogie: 44: 122.

Hintze, Carl (1931) Handbuch der Mineralogie. Berlin and Leipzig. 6 volumes: 1 [4A]: 649.

Larsen, E.S. and Berman, H. (1934) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, Second edition, USGS Bulletin 848: 195.

Strunz (1936) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 94: 60.

Kokkoros (1937) Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Mineralogie und Petrographie, Leipzig: 96: 417.

Kukharenko (1939) Mineralogicheskoe Obshchestvo, Leningrad, Zapiski: 68[2]: 589.

Mrose (1948) American Mineralogist: 33: 449.

American Mineralogist (1976): 61: 979.

Canadian Mineralogist (1976): 14: 143.

Acta Crystallographica (1978): B34: 715.

Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W., and Nichols, M.C. (2000) Handbook of Mineralogy, Volume IV. Arsenates, Phosphates, Vanadates. Mineral Data Publishing, Tucson, AZ, 680pp.: 4: 2.

Mineralogical Journal: 6: 320-328.

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Best of Species:Adamite

Internet Links for Adamite

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    • Localities for Adamite

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