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Apuanite

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Buca della Vena Mine, Stazzema, Apuan Alps, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy
© D.Preite

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Formula:
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
4
Sb
3+
4
O
 
12
S
System:TetragonalColour:Black
Hardness:4 - 5
Name:For the Apuan Alps, Italy, where it was found.
This page provides mineralogical data about Apuanite.

Classification of Apuanite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/B.06-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.JA.25

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
J : Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites; iodates
A : Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites; without additional anions, without H2O
Dana 8th edition ID:45.1.9.1

45 : ACID AND NORMAL ANTIMONITES AND ARSENITES
1 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:4.10

4 : Oxysulphides
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Type Occurrence of Apuanite

Type Locality:Buca della Vena Mine, Stazzema, Apuan Alps, Lucca Province, Tuscany, Italy
General Appearance of Type Material:Commonly massive; rarely as prismatic, thick tabular crystals
Place of Conservation of Type Material:University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy (No. 3202);
National School of Mines, Paris, France
Year of Discovery:1979
Geological Setting of type material:In an iron deposit, in baryte; formed by low-grade metamorphic processes at the contact between phyllites and dolostones.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
VersiliaitePyriteMagnetiteHematiteBaryte

Physical Properties of Apuanite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Black
Hardness (Mohs):4 - 5
Hardness (Vickers):VHN20=240 - 480 kg/mm2
Cleavage:Perfect
on {110}
Density (measured):5.33 g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.22 g/cm3

Crystallography of Apuanite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:P42/mbc (P42/m 21/b 2/c)
Cell Parameters:a = 8.372Å, c = 17.974Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 2.147
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,259.80 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:prismatic crystals, thick-tabular on {001} and bounded by {110}, {112} and {114}
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.168 (100)
1.922 (47)
2.957 (43)
1.647 (30)
2.646 (23)
2.434 (17)
Comments:Recorded on material from the type locality

Optical Data of Apuanite

Type:Uniaxial
Reflectivity:
470 nmR1=19.1%R2= 20.8%
546 nmR1=21.9%R2= 19.6%
589 nmR1=21.6%R2= 18.4%
650 nmR1=19.6%R2= 16.9%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 21.9%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red

Chemical Properties of Apuanite

Formula:
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
4
Sb
3+
4
O
 
12
S
Essential elements:Fe, O, S, Sb
All elements listed in formula:Fe, O, S, Sb
Analyical Data:Electron microprobe analysis of material from the type locality; Fe2+ : Fe3+ ratio from crystal structure analysis
Fe2O3 (26.88)
As2O3 (3.48)
Sb2O3 (53.82)
FeO (7.04)
ZnO (0.62)
S (2.70)
- O = S (1.35)

sum 93.19 wt.-%
Empirical Formula:
Fe
2+
1.04
Zn
 
0.08
Fe
3+
3.57
(Sb
3+
3.91
As
3+
0.37
)
 
=4.28
O
 
12
S
 
0.89

Relationship of Apuanite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.JA.05Leiteite
Zn[As
 
2
O
 
4
]
4.JA.10Reinerite
Zn
 
3
(AsO
 
3
)
 
2
4.JA.15Karibibite
Fe
 
2
As
 
4
O
 
9
4.JA.20Kusachiite
CuBi
 
2
O
 
4
4.JA.20Schafarzikite
Fe
2+
 
Sb
3+
2
O
 
4
4.JA.20Trippkeite
Cu[As
 
2
O
 
4
]
4.JA.30Versiliaite
Fe
 
2
Fe
 
4
Sb
 
6
O
 
16
S
4.JA.35Schneiderhöhnite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
3
[As
 
5
O
 
13
]
4.JA.40Zimbabweite
(Na,K)
 
2
PbAs
 
4
(Ta,Nb,Ti)
 
4
O
 
18
4.JA.45Ludlockite
PbFe
3+
4
As
3+
10
O
 
22
4.JA.50Paulmooreite
Pb
 
2
[As
 
2
O
 
5
]
4.JA.55Stibivanite
Sb
 
2
VO
 
5
4.JA.60Chadwickite
(UO
 
2
)[HAsO
 
3
]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
4.1Bazhenovite
Ca
 
8
[(OH)
 
12
|S
 
2
O
 
3
|S
 
5
] · 20H
 
2
O
4.2Kermesite
Sb
 
2
S
 
2
O
4.3Sarabauite
CaSb
 
10
O
 
10
S
 
6
4.4Schöllhornite
Na
 
0.3
CrS
 
2
·H
 
2
O
4.5Yushkinite
V
 
<1
(Mg,Al)
 
n
[(OH,O)
 
2n
|S]
4.6Vyalsovite
FeCaAl[(OH)
 
5
|S]
4.7Valleriite
(Fe
2+
 
,Cu)
 
4
(Mg,Al)
 
3
[(OH,O)
 
6
|S
 
4
]
4.8Tochilinite
Fe
2+
5-6
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
5
[(OH)
 
10
|S
 
6
]
4.9Haapalaite
(Fe
2+
 
,Ni)
 
2
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
1.61
[(OH)
 
3.22
|S
 
2
]
4.11Versiliaite
Fe
 
2
Fe
 
4
Sb
 
6
O
 
16
S

Other Names for Apuanite

Synonyms:
IMA1978-069
Other Languages:
German:Apuanit
Russian:Апуанит
Spanish:Apuanita

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 Apuanite

Reference List:Mellini, M., Merlino, S. and Orlandi, P. (1979): Versiliaite and apuanite, two new minerals from the Apuan Alps, Italy. American Mineralogist 64, 1230-1234.

Mellini, M. and Merlino, S. (1979): Versiliaite and apuanite: derivative structures related to schafarzikite. American Mineralogist 64, 1235-1242.

Mellini, M., Amouric, M., Baronnet, A. and Mercuriot, G. (1981): Microstructures and nonstoichiometry in schafarzikite-like minerals. American Mineralogist 66, 1073-1079.

Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 19.

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    Localities for Apuanite

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    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.
    Italy
     
    • Tuscany
      • Lucca Province
        • Apuan Alps
          • Stazzema
    		Mellini M., Merlino S., Orlandi P., 1979. Versiliaite and apuanite, two new minerals from the Apuane Alps, Italy. Amer. Miner., 64: 1230-1234. Orlandi P., Dini A., 2004. Die Mineralien der Buca della Vena-Mine, Apuaner Berge, Toskana (Italien). Lapis, 1: 11-24.
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