Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (2 online) Mindat Auctions

Maxwellite

Big Photo

Squaw Creek Mine, Taylor Creek Tin District (Black Range Tin District), Sierra Co., New Mexico, USA
© Stephan Wolfsried

Show Maxwellite Photos (3)
Formula:
NaFe
3+
 
[F|AsO
 
4
]
System:MonoclinicHardness:5 - 5½
Name:After Charles Henry Maxwell (1923– ), geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, who studied the Taylor Creek district.
Isostructural with:Titanite


Tilasite Group. Durangite-Maxwellite Series, Maxwellite-Tilasite Series.

Classification of Maxwellite

IMA status:Approved 1987
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/B.25-55
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.BH.10

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
H : With medium-sized and large cations, (OH,etc.):RO4 = 1:1
Dana 8th edition ID:41.5.5.3

41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
5 : (AB)2(XO4)Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:22.1.21

22 : Phosphates, Arsenates or Vanadates with other Anions
1 : Phosphates, arsenates or vanadates with fluoride
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-2605.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Maxwellite

Type Locality:Squaw Creek Mine, Taylor Creek Tin District (Black Range Tin District), Sierra Co., New Mexico, USA
Year of Discovery:1991
Geological Setting of type material:Formed as a rarity in miarolitic cavities in rhyolite adjacent to high-temperature veins in a hydrothermal tin deposit.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
TripuhyiteTridymiteTilasiteStilbiteSanidine
QuartzPseudobrookiteHeulanditeHematiteGasparite-(Ce)
Chernovite-(Y)CassiteriteCalcite

Physical Properties of Maxwellite

Hardness (Mohs):5 - 5½

Crystallography of Maxwellite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 7.16Å, b = 8.78Å, c = 6.68Å
β = 114.58°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.815 : 1 : 0.761
Unit Cell Volume:V 381.88 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Maxwellite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.748 nβ = 1.772 nγ = 1.798
2V:Measured: 86° to 89°, Calculated: 90°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.050

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

Chemical Properties of Maxwellite

Formula:
NaFe
3+
 
[F|AsO
 
4
]
Essential elements:As, F, Fe, Na, O
All elements listed in formula:As, F, Fe, Na, O

Relationship of Maxwellite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Durangite (see here)
Forms a series with Tilasite (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
8.BH.05Thadeuite
Ca(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.10Durangite
NaAl[F|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Isokite
CaMg[F|PO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Lacroixite
NaAl[F|PO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Panasqueiraite
CaMg[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
8.BH.10Tilasite
CaMg[F|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.15Drugmanite
Pb(Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.20Bjarebyite
(Ba,Sr)(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Cirrolite
near Ca
 
3
Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
3
8.BH.20Kulanite
Ba(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Penikisite
Ba(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Ca)
 
2
Al
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Perloffite
Ba(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.20Johntomaite
BaFe
2+
2
Fe
3+
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
3
8.BH.25Bertossaite
(Li,Na)
 
2
(Ca,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)Al
 
4
[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
 
4
8.BH.25Palermoite
(Li,Na)
 
2
(Sr,Ca)Al
 
4
[PO
 
4
]
 
4
(OH)
 
4
8.BH.30Carminite
PbFe
3+
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.30Sewardite
CaFe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
8.BH.35Adelite
CaMg[AsO
 
4
](OH)
8.BH.35Arsendescloizite
PbZn[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Austinite
CaZn[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Cobaltaustinite
CaCo[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Conichalcite
CaCu[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Duftite
PbCu[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Gabrielsonite
PbFe[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Nickelaustinite
Ca(Ni,Zn)[OH|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Tangeite
CaCu[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.35Gottlobite
CaMg[OH|(VO
 
4
,AsO
 
4
)]
8.BH.40Čechite
Pb(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.40Descloizite
Pb(Zn,Cu)[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.40Mottramite
Pb(Cu,Zn)[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.40Pyrobelonite
PbMn
2+
 
[OH|VO
 
4
]
8.BH.45Bayldonite
Cu
 
3
Pb[OH|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.45Vésigniéite
BaCu
 
3
[OH|VO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.50Paganoite
NiBi[O|AsO
 
4
]
8.BH.55Jagowerite
BaAl
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
8.BH.60Attakolite
(Ca,Sr)Mn(Al,Fe)
 
4
[(OH)
 
4
|(SiO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)|(HPO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
8.BH.65Leningradite
PbCu
 
3
[Cl|VO
 
4
]
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
22.1.1Amblygonite
(Li,Na)Al[(F,OH)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.2Lacroixite
NaAl[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.3Natrophosphate
Na
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
F·19H
 
2
O
22.1.5Nacaphite
Na
 
2
Ca[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.6Arctite
Na
 
2
Ca
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
F
22.1.7Nefedovite
Na
 
5
Ca
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
F
22.1.9Apatite-(CaF)
Ca
 
5
[F|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
]
22.1.10Herderite
CaBe[(F,OH)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.11Isokite
CaMg[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.12Panasqueiraite
CaMg[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.13Babefphite
BaBe[(F,OH)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.14Fluellite
Al
 
2
[F
 
2
|OH|PO
 
4
] · 7H
 
2
O
22.1.15Minyulite
KAl
 
2
[(OH,F)|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 4H
 
2
O
22.1.16Morinite
Na
 
2
Ca
 
4
Al
 
4
[(F,OH)
 
5
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
22.1.17Bøggildite
Na
 
2
Sr
 
2
Al
 
2
PO
 
4
F
 
9
22.1.18Apatite-(SrOH)
(Sr,Ca)
 
5
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH,F)
22.1.19Viitaniemiite
Na(Ca,Mn
2+
 
)Al[(F,OH)
 
3
|PO
 
4
]
22.1.20Väyrynenite
Mn
2+
 
Be[(OH,F)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.22Wagnerite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.23Triplite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
[(F,OH)|PO
 
4
]
22.1.24Magniotriplite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.25Zwieselite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
[F|PO
 
4
]
22.1.26Mcauslanite
HFe
2+
3
Al
 
2
[F|(PO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 18H
 
2
O
22.1.27Richellite
Ca
 
3
Fe
3+
10
[(OH,F)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
4
 · nH
 
2
O (not confirmed)
22.1.28Svabite
Ca
 
5
[(F,Cl,OH)|(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
]
22.1.29Tilasite
CaMg[F|AsO
 
4
]
22.1.30Fermorite
(Ca,Sr)
 
5
(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
22.1.31Durangite
NaAl[F|AsO
 
4
]

Other Names for Maxwellite

Synonyms:
IMA1987-044
German names:
Maxwellit
Russian names:
Максуэллит
Spanish names:
Maxwellita

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 Maxwellite

Reference List:Foord, E.E., P.F. Hlava, J.J. Fitzpatrick, R.C. Erd, and R.W. Hinton (1991) Maxwellite and squawcreekite, two new minerals from the Black Range tin district, Catron County, New Mexico, U.S.A. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte, 363–384. (2) (1992).

American Mineralogist: 77: 449 (abstract).

Cooper, M.A. and F.C. Hawthorne (1995) The crystal structure of maxwellite. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte, 97–104.

New Minerals (1997), New Minerals 1990-1994.

Internet Links for Maxwellite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Maxwellite on Google
  • Look for Maxwellite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Maxwellite on Webmineral
  • Look for Maxwellite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Maxwellite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Maxwellite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Maxwellite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Maxwellite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • Lapis Mineral Magazin
  • Buy from David K Joyce minerals
  • Mineral Classics - Worldwide Collector Quality Minerals and Gems
  • Wilensky Fine Minerals
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Maxwellite specimens
  • Wendel Minerals - Auktion & Shop
  • High-end worldwide specimens & outstanding customer service
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals
  • Find Maxwellite on www.crystalclassics.co.uk
  • rare and unusual minerals mainly crystallized
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to find out how you can sponsor this page.

    Localities for Maxwellite

    (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 Mexico
      • Sierra Co.
    		Northrop, Minerals of New Mexico, 3rd Rev. Ed., 1996
    Minerals of New Mexico 3rd ed.
    Northrop, Minerals of New Mexico, 3rd Rev. Ed., 1996
    Northrop, Minerals of New Mexico, 3rd Rev. Ed., 1996; Mineralogical Record: 20(5): 404.
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon & Ida Ralph 1993-2008. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.