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Magnolite

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Big Photo

Keystone Mine, Magnolia District, Boulder Co., Colorado, USA
© Brent Thorne 2010




Formula:
(Hg
+
2
)(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)
System:OrthorhombicColour:Colorless, creamy white; ...
Lustre:Sub-Adamantine, Sub-Vitreous, Waxy, Greasy
Name:
Named in 1877 by Frederick Genthite for the type location in the Magnolia district. Re-investigated by Roberts et al. (1989).
This page provides mineralogical data about Magnolite.

Classification of Magnolite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/K.02-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.JK.60

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
J : Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites; iodates
K : Tellurites without additional anions, without H2O
Dana 7th edition ID:34.1.8.1
Dana 8th edition ID:34.1.7.1

34 : SELENITES, TELLURITES AND SULFITES
1 : A(XO3)
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Type Occurrence of Magnolite

Type Locality:Keystone Mine, Magnolia District, Boulder Co., Colorado, USA
General Appearance of Type Material:Colorless to needles or white laths on goethite on coloradoite ore.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC 165455
Year of Discovery:1877
Geological Setting of type material:A late alteration product or the weathdring zone of complex polymetallic mineral deposits.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
QuartzMercuryKeystoneiteGoldGoethite
Coloradoite

Physical Properties of Magnolite

Lustre:Sub-Adamantine, Sub-Vitreous, Waxy, Greasy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Comment:May be in silky in aggregates.
Colour:Colorless, creamy white; also pale yellow green (Mountain Lion Mine).
Streak:Colorless, also light brown (Mountain Lion Mine)
Comment:Soft
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
Perfect on {001}
Good perpendicular to {001}
Density (calculated):8.12 g/cm3

Crystallography of Magnolite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mm2 - Pyramidal
Cell Parameters:a = 5.948(1) Å, b = 10.580(2) Å, c = 3.745(1) Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.562 : 1 : 0.354
Unit Cell Volume:V 235.67 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Bladed crystals, tufted aggregates.
Comment:Roberts et al. (1989)
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
5.25 (50)
3.95 (70)
3.74 (40)
3.17 (30)
3.043 (100)
2.587 (50)
1.986 (40)
1.944 (35)
Comments:Roberts et al. (1989)

Optical Data of Magnolite

Type:Biaxial (+)
Optical Extinction:Parallel. Y=a, X=b,Z=c
Pleochroism:Non-pleochroic
Comments:n=>2, 2V => 45

Chemical Properties of Magnolite

Formula:
(Hg
+
2
)(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)
Essential elements:Hg, O, Te
All elements listed in formula:Hg, O, Te
Empirical Formula:
Hg
1+
2
TeO
 
3

Relationship of Magnolite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.JK.05Winstanleyite
TiTe
4+
3
O
 
8
4.JK.05Walfordite
(Fe
3+
 
,Te
6+
 
)Te
4+
3
O
 
8
4.JK.10Spiroffite
(Mn,Zn)
 
2
Te
4+
3
O
 
8
4.JK.10Zincospiroffite
Zn
 
2
Te
4+
3
O
 
8
4.JK.15Balyakinite
Cu(TeO
 
3
)
4.JK.20Rajite
Cu(Te
4+
2
O
 
5
)
4.JK.25Carlfriesite
CaTe
4+
2
Te
6+
 
O
 
8
4.JK.30Denningite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca,Zn)Te
4+
2
O
 
5
4.JK.35Chekhovichite
Bi
 
2
Te
4+
4
O
 
11
4.JK.40Smirnite
Bi
 
2
Te
4+
 
O
 
5
4.JK.45Choloalite
(Cu,Sb)
 
3
(Pb,Ca)
 
3
(TeO
 
3
)
 
6
Cl
4.JK.50Fairbankite
Pb(TeO
 
3
)
4.JK.55Plumbotellurite
Pb(TeO
 
3
)
4.JK.65Moctezumite
Pb(UO
 
2
)(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
4.JK.70Schmitterite
(UO
 
2
)(TeO
 
3
)
4.JK.75Cliffordite
(UO
 
2
)Te
4+
3
O
 
7

Other Names for Magnolite

Other Languages:
German:Magnolit
Russian:Магнолит
Spanish:Magnolita

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:Not fluorescent.
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 Magnolite

Reference List:

- +
Genth, F. A. (1878): On some tellurium and vanadium minerals. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 17, 113-123.

Roberts, A.C., Bonardi, M., Grice, J.D., Ercit, T.S., and Pinch, W.W. (1989): A restudy of magnolite, Hg1+2Te4+03, from Colorado. Canadian Mineralogist 27, 129-131.

Grice, J.D. (1989): The crystal structure of magnolite, Hg1+2Te4+03. Canadian Mineralogist 27, 133-136.

American Mineralogist (1990): 75: 437.

Internet Links for Magnolite

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    • Localities for Magnolite

    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
     
    • Colorado
      • Boulder Co.
        • Magnolia District
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.
    Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.
      • La Plata Co.
        • La Plata District (California District)
    		M.E. Ciriotti, 2006, probed
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