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Mackayite

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Big Photo

San Miguel Mine, Moctezuma, Mun. de Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico
© Vincent Bourgoin

Show Mackayite Photos (26)



Formula:
Fe
3+
 
(Te
4+
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
System:TetragonalColour:Pale bottle-green, olive ...
Hardness:4½
Name:
For John William Mackay (1831-1902), Irish-American financier and mine operator on the Comstock lode, Nevada, who endowed the School of Mines of the University of Nevada (also honored by naming the school the Mackay School of Mines).
This page provides mineralogical data about Mackayite.

Classification of Mackayite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/K.12-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.JL.10

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
J : Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites; iodates
L : Tellurites with additional anions, without H2O
Dana 8th edition ID:34.6.1.1

34 : SELENITES, TELLURITES AND SULFITES
6 : Anhydrous Selenites, Tellurites and Sulfites containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
Hey's CIM Ref.:28.3.23

28 : Selenites, Selenates, Tellurites, and Tellurates
3 : Tellurites
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Type Occurrence of Mackayite

Type Locality:Mohawk Mine, Goldfield District, Esmeralda Co., Nevada, USA
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Harvard University, Boston Massachusetts 97444, 97950
Year of Discovery:1944
Associated Minerals at type locality:
TelluriumTelluriteQuartzEmmonsiteEmmonsite
BlakeiteBaryteAlunite

Occurrences of Mackayite

Geological Setting:Zone of oxidation in Au-Te deposits.

Physical Properties of Mackayite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Pale bottle-green, olive green, brownish green, greenish black; greenish yellow to yellowish green in transmitted light.
Streak:Pale green
Hardness (Mohs):4½
Tenacity:Brittle
Fracture:Sub-Conchoidal
Density (measured):4.86 g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.32 g/cm3

Crystallography of Mackayite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:I41/acd {I41/a 2/c 2/d}
Cell Parameters:a = 11.704Å, c = 14.895Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.273
Unit Cell Volume:V 2,040.37 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:16
Morphology:Short prismatic [001] to pyramidal {112}; pseudocubic, pseudododecahedral.

Optical Data of Mackayite

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 2.190() nε = 2.210(2)
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.020

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:Dichroic:
O = Green
E = Yellowish green

Chemical Properties of Mackayite

Formula:
Fe
3+
 
(Te
4+
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
Essential elements:Fe, H, O, Te
All elements listed in formula:Fe, H, O, Te
Empirical Formula:
Fe
3+
 
[OH|Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]

Relationship of Mackayite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.JL.05Rodalquilarite
Fe
 
2
(TeO
 
2
OH)
 
3
(TeO
 
3
)Cl
4.JL.15Mroseite
CaTe
4+
 
(CO
 
3
)O
 
2
4.JL.20Pingguite
Bi
 
6
Te
4+
2
O
 
13
4.JL.25Tlapallite
H
 
6
(Ca,Pb)
 
2
(Cu,Zn)
 
3
(TeO
 
3
)
 
4
(TeO
 
6
)(SO
 
4
)
4.JL.30Girdite
H
 
2
Pb
 
3
(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)(Te
6+
 
O
 
6
)
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
28.3.1Balyakinite
Cu(TeO
 
3
)
28.3.2Rajite
Cu(Te
4+
2
O
 
5
)
28.3.3Graemite
Cu[TeO
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
28.3.4Teineite
Cu[TeO
 
3
] · 2H
 
2
O
28.3.5Cesbronite
Cu
 
5
(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
 · 2H
 
2
O
28.3.6Mroseite
CaTe
4+
 
(CO
 
3
)O
 
2
28.3.7Quetzalcoatlite
Zn
 
6
Cu
 
3
(TeO
 
6
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
 · Ag
 
x
Pb
 
y
Cl
 
x+2y
28.3.8Zemannite
Mg(ZnFe)
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
6
·9H
 
2
O
28.3.9Kinichilite
(Fe,Mg,Zn)
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
3
(Na
 
x
H
 
2-x
) · 3H
 
2
O
28.3.10Denningite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca,Zn)Te
4+
2
O
 
5
28.3.11Spiroffite
(Mn,Zn)
 
2
Te
4+
3
O
 
8
28.3.12Winstanleyite
TiTe
4+
3
O
 
8
28.3.13Fairbankite
Pb(TeO
 
3
)
28.3.14Plumbotellurite
Pb(TeO
 
3
)
28.3.15Choloalite
(Cu,Sb)
 
3
(Pb,Ca)
 
3
(TeO
 
3
)
 
6
Cl
28.3.16Smirnite
Bi
 
2
Te
4+
 
O
 
5
28.3.17Chekhovichite
Bi
 
2
Te
4+
4
O
 
11
28.3.18Cliffordite
(UO
 
2
)Te
4+
3
O
 
7
28.3.19Schmitterite
(UO
 
2
)(TeO
 
3
)
28.3.20Moctezumite
Pb(UO
 
2
)(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
28.3.21Emmonsite
Fe
3+
2
[TeO
 
3
]
 
3
 · 2H
 
2
O
28.3.22Blakeite
Fe
3+
2
[TeO
 
3
]
 
3
 (?)
28.3.24Poughite
Fe
3+
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)(H
 
2
O)
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
28.3.25Sonoraite
Fe
3+
 
(TeO
 
3
)(OH) · H
 
2
O
28.3.26Rodalquilarite
Fe
 
2
(TeO
 
2
OH)
 
3
(TeO
 
3
)Cl
28.3.27Eztlite
Pb
 
2
Fe
3+
6
(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)
 
3
(Te
6+
 
O
 
6
)(OH)
 
10
 · 8H
 
2
O
28.3.28Keystoneite
(Ni,Mg,Fe,Mn)
 
3
Te
 
3
O
 
9
 · 5H
 
2
O

Other Names for Mackayite

Other Languages:
German:Mackayit
Russian:Маккейит
Spanish:Mackayita

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 Mackayite

Reference List:

- +
Frondel, C. & F.H. Pough (1944), Two new tellurites of iron: Mackayite and blakeite, with new data on emmonsite and "durdenite". American Mineralogist: 29: 211-225.

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.: 642-643.

Pertlik, F. (1969): Hydrothermal Synthesis, Chemical Formula and Crystal Structure of Mackayite, Fe(OH)[Te2O5]. Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen 13, 219-232 (in German with English abstract).

American Mineralogist (1970): 55: 1072.

Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Geología Boletin: 82, part 2: 25-35.

Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte (1977): 145-153.

Frost, R.L., and Dickfos, M.J. (2009): Raman spectroscopic study of the tellurite minerals: Mackayite and quetzalcoatlite. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 72(2), 445-448.

Internet Links for Mackayite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Mackayite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    • Localities for Mackayite

    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.
    Hide Locality List
    (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.
    Chile
     
    • Coquimbo Region
      • Elqui Province
        • El Indio deposit
          • Tambo Mine
    		Handbook of Mineralogy - Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols
    Mexico
     
    • Sonora
      • Mun. de Moctezuma
        • Moctezuma
    		Handbook of Mineralogy - Anthony, Bideaux, Bladh, Nichols
    Panczner(1987):108-401.
    No reference listed
    Lapis 2001(1), 11-40
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Cochise Co.
        • Tombstone Hills
    		Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 389-390; Bideaux, R.A., et al (1960), Some new occurrences of minerals of Arizona, AZ Geol. Soc. Digest: 3: 53-56.
            • Tombstone
    		Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 212, 281; Bideaux, R.A., et al (1960), Some new occurrences of minerals of Arizona, AZ Geol. Soc. Digest: 3: 53-56.
    • Colorado
      • Saguache Co.
        • Bonanza District (Kerber Creek District)
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
    • Nevada
      • Esmeralda Co.
        • Goldfield District
    		NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
    NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
    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: 642; Rocks & Minerals, Nov. 1999
    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: 642; NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada.
    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: 642.
    • New Mexico
      • Catron Co.
        • Wilcox District
          • Lone Pine Hill area
    		Northrop, Minerals of New Mexico, 3rd Rev. Ed., 1996
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