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

Herbertsmithite

Big Photo

San Francisco Mine (Beatrix Mine), Caracoles, Sierra Gorda District, Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile
© Elmar Lackner

Show Herbertsmithite Photos (31)
Formula:
Cu
 
3
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
System:TrigonalColour:light green, blue-green, ...
Hardness:3 - 3½
Name:Honouring Dr. G. F. Herbert Smith (1872-1953) of the Natural History Museum, London, England, who discovered the mineral paratacamite.
Isostructural with:Gillardite


A polymorph of (metastable) kapellasite.
Closely related to paratacamite.

This mineral gained attention in March 2007 when it was reported that it has very specific and unusual physical properties that make it behave as a new type of matter (see references).

Classification of Herbertsmithite

IMA status:Approved 2003
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/D.01-57
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.DA.10c

3 : HALIDES
D : Oxyhalides, hydroxyhalides and related double halides
A : With Cu, etc., without Pb
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-26600.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Herbertsmithite

Type Locality:Los Tres Presidentes Mine, Caracoles, Sierra Gorda District, Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile
General Appearance of Type Material:Rhombohedrons to 1.5 mm across.
Year of Discovery:1972

Occurrences of Herbertsmithite

Geological Setting:Copper mineralizations in syenitic porphyries and granites, hosted by triassic dolomites (Anarak, Iran)

Physical Properties of Herbertsmithite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:light green, blue-green, emerald green
Streak:light green
Hardness (Mohs):3 - 3½
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
on {10_11}
Density (measured):3.85 - 3.95 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.76 g/cm3

Crystallography of Herbertsmithite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3m (3 2/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Space Group:R3m (R3 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 6.834Å, c = 14.075Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 2.06
Unit Cell Volume:V 569.28 ų
Z:3
Morphology:Platy, pseudohexagonal crystals to 0.5 mm (Iran); rhombohedrons and pseudo-octahedra to 1.5 mm (Chile).
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
5.466 (55)
4.702 (14)
2.899 (11)
2.764 (100)
2.730 (13)
2.266 (36)
1.820 (13)
Comments:XRD pattern quite similar to those for atacamite, clinoatacamite and paratacamite, but herbertsmithite is readily distinguished from these by infrared spectroscopy and SXRD

Chemical Properties of Herbertsmithite

Formula:
Cu
 
3
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
All elements listed in formula:Cl, Cu, H, O, Zn

Relationship of Herbertsmithite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
3.DA.05Melanothallite
Cu
 
2
[O|Cl
 
2
]
3.DA.10aAtacamite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10bBotallackite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10bClinoatacamite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10aHibbingite
Fe
2+
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10aKempite
Mn
2+
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10cParatacamite
Cu
 
3
(Cu,Zn)[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
3.DA.10bBelloite
Cu[OH|Cl]
3.DA.10cKapellasite
Cu
 
3
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
3.DA.10cGillardite
Cu
 
3
NiCl
 
2
(OH)
 
6
3.DA.10cHaydeeite
Cu
 
3
Mg(OH)
 
6
Cl
 
2
3.DA.15Claringbullite
Cu
 
4
[(OH)
 
7
|Cl] · nH
 
2
O
3.DA.20Simonkolleite
Zn
 
5
[(OH)
 
8
|Cl
 
2
] · H
 
2
O
3.DA.25Buttgenbachite
Cu
 
19
[(OH)
 
32
|(NO
 
3
)
 
2
|Cl
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
3.DA.25Connellite
Cu
 
19
[(OH)
 
32
|SO
 
4
|Cl
 
4
] · 3H
 
2
O
3.DA.30Abhurite
Sn
 
21
Cl
 
16
(OH)
 
14
O
 
6
3.DA.35Ponomarevite
K
 
4
Cu
 
4
[O|Cl
 
10
]
3.DA.40Anthonyite
Cu(OH,Cl)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
3.DA.40Calumetite
Cu(OH,Cl)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
3.DA.45Khaidarkanite
Na
 
0.34
Cu
 
4
Al
 
3
(OH)
 
14
F
 
3
·2H
 
2
O
3.DA.50Bobkingite
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
8
|Cl
 
2
] · 2H
 
2
O
3.DA.55Avdoninite
K
 
2
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
4
|Cl
 
8
] · H
 
2
O
3.DA.60Droninoite
Ni
 
3
Fe
3+
 
Cl(OH)
 
8
·2H
 
2
O

Other Names for Herbertsmithite

Synonyms:
AnarakiteIMA2003-041
Other Languages:
German:Anarakit
Italian:Herbertsmithite
Spanish:Anarakita

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:none
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 Herbertsmithite

Reference List:Braithwaite, R.S.W., Mereiter, K., Paar, W.H. and Clark, A.M. (2004) Herbertsmithite, Cu3Zn(OH)6Cl2, a new species, and the definition of paratacamite. Mineralogical Magazine, 68, 527-539.

Weiß, S. (2004): Lapis: 29(12): 38-39.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19325954.200

Helton, J.S., Matan, K., Shores, M.P., Nytko, E.A., Bartlett, B.M., Yoshida, Y., Takano, Y., Suslov, A., Qiu, Y., Chung, J.-H., Nocera, D.G., and Lee, Y.S. (2007) Spin Dynamics of the Spin-1/2 Kagomé Lattice Antiferromagnet ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2. Physical Review Letters 98, 107204. [http://arxiv.org/pdf/cond-mat/0610539v4]

Internet Links for Herbertsmithite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Herbertsmithite on Google
  • Look for Herbertsmithite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Herbertsmithite on Webmineral
  • Look for Herbertsmithite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Herbertsmithite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Herbertsmithite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Herbertsmithite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • Top quality minerals from Kristalle of California
  • Buy from David K Joyce minerals
  • SpiriferMinerals.com - high quality specimens
  • Search for - Herbertsmithite - on e-Rocks Mineral Sales & Auctions
  • Fine Minerals from Dan Weinrich Minerals
  • Wilensky Fine Minerals
  • Mineral Classics - Worldwide Collector Quality Minerals and Gems
  • High-end worldwide specimens & outstanding customer service
  • Buy Fine Minerals from mineralsweb.com
  • Wendel Minerals - Auktion & Shop
  • Search for Herbertsmithite at Thames Valley Minerals
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.

    Localities for Herbertsmithite

    Hide Locality List
    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.
    These maps work faster with Firefox!
    (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
     
    • Antofagasta Region
      • Antofagasta Province
        • Cerro Palestina
          • Estación Cerro Negro
            • Magallanes district
    		Samples analysed by Dr. Jochen Schluter (Hamburg University), Germany.
    Samples analysed by Dr. Jochen Schluter (Hamburg University), Germany.
      • Tocopilla Province
        • Sierra Gorda District
          • Caracoles
    		S. Weiß: Lapis (2004): 29(12): 38-39.
    Samples analysed by Dr. Jochen Schluter (Hamburg University), Germany.
    S. Weiß: Lapis 29(12):38-39 (2004); Uwe Kolitsch (single-crystal structure refinement)
    R. S. W. Braithwaite et al.: Min. Mag. 68(3):527-539 (2004)
    S. Weiß: Lapis 29(12):38-39 (2004); Uwe Kolitsch (single-crystal structure refinement)
    • Tarapacá Region
      • Iquique Province
        • Challacollo
    		maurizio dini collection - analysed material
        • Quebrada Maní
    		Samples analysed by Dr. Jochen Schluter (Hamburg University), Germany.
    Greece
     
    • Attikí (Attica; Attika) Prefecture
      • Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium) District
        • Lavrion District Mines
          • Sounion area
            • Sounion Mines
    		W. Krause, H.-J. Bernhardt, R. S. W. Braithwaite, U. Kolitsch and R. Pritchard (2006): Kapellasite, Cu3Zn(OH)6Cl2, a new mineral from Lavrion, Greece. Mineral. Mag. 70, 331-342.
    Iran
     
    • Esfahan Province (Isfahan Province; Aspadana Province)
      • Anarak District
    		S. Weiß: Lapis 29(12):38-39 (2004)
    S. Weiß: Lapis 29(12):38-39 (2004)
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon & Ida Ralph 1993-2009. 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.