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Nickelalumite

Big Photo

Mbobo Mkulu Cave, Nelspruit District, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa
© Brent Thorne

Formula:
(Ni,Cu)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|{SO
 
4
,(NO
 
3
)
 
2
}] · 3H
 
2
O
System:Monoclinic


Chalcoalumite Group.

Originally reported from Mbobo Mkulu Cave, Nelspruit District, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.

Classification of Nickelalumite

IMA status:Published without Approval 1980
Explanation of status:Latest research solves the crystal structure and formula (Uvarova et al., 2005); however, the name is still being used without IMA approval.
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/D.08-60
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.DD.75

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
D : With only medium-sized cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
Dana 8th edition ID:31.3.1.2

31 : HYDRATED SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : (AB)5(XO4)Zq·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:13.13

13 : Nitrates
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Physical Properties of Nickelalumite

Density (calculated):2.231 g/cm3

Crystallography of Nickelalumite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Cell Parameters:a = 10.2567Å, b = 8.8815Å, c = 17.0989Å
β = 95.548°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.155 : 1 : 1.925
Unit Cell Volume:V 1550.3 ų

Optical Data of Nickelalumite

Type:Biaxial
RI values: nα = 1.532 nγ = 1.543
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.011

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:medium

Chemical Properties of Nickelalumite

Formula:
(Ni,Cu)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|{SO
 
4
,(NO
 
3
)
 
2
}] · 3H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, H, Ni, O, S
All elements listed in formula:Al, Cu, H, N, Ni, O, S

Relationship of Nickelalumite to other Species

Member of Group:
Chalcoalumite Group:
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
7.DD.05Felsőbányaite
Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
10
|SO
 
4
] · 4H
 
2
O
7.DD.10Langite
Cu
 
4
[(OH)
 
6
|SO
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
7.DD.10Posnjakite
Cu
 
4
[(OH)
 
6
|SO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
7.DD.10Wroewolfeite
Cu
 
4
[(OH)
 
6
|SO
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
7.DD.15Spangolite
Cu
 
6
Al[(OH)
 
12
|Cl|SO
 
4
] · 3H
 
2
O
7.DD.20Ktenasite
Zn(Cu,Zn)
 
4
[(OH)
 
6
|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 6H
 
2
O
7.DD.25Christelite
Cu
 
2
Zn
 
3
[(OH)
 
6
|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 4H
 
2
O
7.DD.30Campigliaite
Mn
2+
 
Cu
 
4
[(OH)
 
6
|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 4H
 
2
O
7.DD.30Devilline
CaCu
 
4
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
·3H
 
2
O
7.DD.30Orthoserpierite
Ca(Cu,Zn)
 
4
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
·3H
 
2
O
7.DD.30Serpierite
Ca(Cu,Zn)
 
4
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
·3H
 
2
O
7.DD.30Niedermayrite
CdCu
 
4
[(OH)
 
6
|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 4H
 
2
O
7.DD.35Carrboydite
(Ni,Cu)
 
14
Al
 
9
[(OH)
 
43
|(SO
 
4
,CO
 
3
)
 
6
] · 7H
 
2
O
7.DD.35Glaucocerinite
(Zn,Cu)
 
10
Al
 
6
[(OH)
 
32
|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
] · 18H
 
2
O
7.DD.35Honessite
Ni
 
6
Fe
3+
2
[(OH)
 
16
|SO
 
4
] · 4H
 
2
O
7.DD.35Hydrohonessite
Ni
 
6
Fe
3+
2
[(OH)
 
16
|SO
 
4
] · 7H
 
2
O
7.DD.35Motukoreaite
NaMg
 
19
Al
 
12
(CO
 
3
)
 
6.5
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH)
 
54
·28H
 
2
O
7.DD.35Mountkeithite
(Mg,Ni)
 
11
(Fe
3+
 
,Cr
3+
 
,Al)
 
3
[(OH)
 
24
|(SO
 
4
,CO
 
3
)
 
3.5
] · 11H
 
2
O
7.DD.35Shigaite
Al
 
4
Mn
 
7
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
22
·8H
 
2
O
7.DD.35Wermlandite
Mg
 
7
(Ca,Mg)(Al,Fe)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
18
(H
 
2
O)
 
12
7.DD.35Woodwardite
Cu
 
4
Al
 
2
[(OH)
 
12
|SO
 
4
] · 2-4H
 
2
O
7.DD.35Zincaluminite
Zn
 
6
Al
 
6
[(OH)
 
13
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 5H
 
2
O
7.DD.35Hydrowoodwardite
Cu
 
1-x
Al
 
x
[(OH)
 
2
|(SO
 
4
)
 
x/2
] · nH
 
2
O
7.DD.35Zincowoodwardite
Zn
 
1-x
Al
 
x
(SO
 
4
)
 
x/2
(OH)
 
2
·nH
 
2
O (?)
7.DD.35Natroglaucocerinite
[(Zn,Cu)
 
5
Al
 
3
(OH)
 
16
][(SO
 
4
)
 
1.5
Na
 
1.5
(SO
 
4
)
 
0.75
(H
 
2
O)
 
9
]
7.DD.35Nikischerite
[AlFe
 
2
(OH)
 
6
]
 
3
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
Na(H
 
2
O)
 
6
·6H
 
2
O
7.DD.40Lawsonbauerite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
9
Zn
 
4
[(OH)
 
11
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
7.DD.40Torreyite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
9
Zn
 
4
[(OH)
 
11
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
7.DD.45Mooreite
(Mg,Zn,Mn
2+
 
)
 
15
[(OH)
 
13
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
7.DD.50Namuwite
(Zn,Cu)
 
4
[(OH)
 
6
|SO
 
4
] · 4H
 
2
O
7.DD.55Bechererite
(Zn,Cu)
 
6
Zn
 
2
[(OH)
 
12
|(SO
 
4
,HSiO
 
4
)
 
2
]
7.DD.60Ramsbeckite
(Cu,Zn)
 
15
[(OH)
 
22
|(SO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 6H
 
2
O
7.DD.65Vonbezingite
Ca
 
6
Cu
 
3
[(OH)
 
12
|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
] · 2H
 
2
O
7.DD.70Redgillite
Cu
 
6
[(OH)
 
10
|SO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
7.DD.75Chalcoalumite
CuAl
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|SO
 
4
] · 3H
 
2
O
7.DD.75Kyrgyzstanite
ZnAl
 
4
(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
12
·3H
 
2
O
7.DD.80Guarinoite
(Zn,Co,Ni)
 
6
[(OH,Cl)
 
10
|SO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
7.DD.80Schulenbergite
(Cu,Zn)
 
7
[(OH)
 
10
|(SO
 
4
,CO
 
3
)
 
2
] · 3H
 
2
O
7.DD.80Thérèsemagnanite
(Co,Zn,Ni)
 
6
(SO
 
4
)(OH,Cl)
 
10
·8H
 
2
O
7.DD.80UM1992-30-SO:CCuHZn
(Zn,Cu)
 
7
[(SO
 
4
,CO
 
3
)
 
2
](OH)
 
10
 · 3H
 
2
O
7.DD.85Montetrisaite
Cu
 
6
(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
10
·2H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
13.1Nitratine
NaNO
 
3
13.2Niter
KNO
 
3
13.3Gerhardtite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|NO
 
3
]
13.4Nitromagnesite
Mg(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
13.5Nitrocalcite
Ca(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
13.6Nitrobarite
Ba(NO
 
3
)
 
2
13.7Buttgenbachite
Cu
 
19
[(OH)
 
32
|(NO
 
3
)
 
2
|Cl
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
13.8Sveite
KAl
 
7
[Cl|(OH)
 
8
|(NO
 
3
)
 
2
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
13.9Darapskite
Na
 
3
NO
 
3
SO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
13.10Humberstonite
Na
 
7
K
 
3
Mg
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
6
(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
13.11Mbobomkulite
(Ni,Cu)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|{(NO
 
3
)
 
2
,SO
 
4
}] · 3H
 
2
O
13.12Hydrombobomkulite
(Ni,Cu)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|{(NO
 
3
)
 
2
,SO
 
4
}] · 13-14H
 
2
O

Other Names for Nickelalumite

Other Languages:
German:Nickelalumit
Spanish:Nickelalumita

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 Nickelalumite

Reference List:Martini, J.E.J. (1980) Mbobomkulite, hydrombobomkulite, and nickelalumite, new minerals from Mbobo Mkulu cave, eastern Transvaal. Annals of the Geological Survey of South Africa: 14(2): 1-110 (see: American Mineralogist (1982): 67: 415-416).

American Mineralogist (1982): 67: 416.

Karpenko, V.V., Agakhanov, A.A., Pautov, L.A., Dikaya, T.V., and Bekenova, G.K. (2004b) New occurrence of nickelalumite on Kara-Chagyr, South Kirgizia. New Data on Minerals: 39: 32-39.

Uvarova, Y.A., Sokolova, E., Hawthorne, F.C., Karpenko, V.V., Agakhanov, A.A., and Pautov, L.A. (2005) The crystal chemistry of the "nickelalumite"-group minerals. Canadian Mineralogist: 43: 1511-1519.

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    Localities for Nickelalumite

    (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.
    Kyrgyzstan
     
    • Batken Oblast
    		Canadian Mineralogist: 43: 1511-1519.
    • Osh Oblast
      • Alai (Alay) Range
        • Fergana Valley
          • Fergana
    		V.Y. Karpenko et al.: Zap. Vses. Mineral. Obshch. 133(2):59-68 (2004); New Data on Minerals: 39: 32-39.
    South Africa
     
    • Mpumalanga Province
      • Nelspruit District
    		Ann.Geol.Surv.S.Africa,(1980) 14, n2, 1-110;Martini, J.E.J. et al (1997), "Mbobo Mkulu Cave, South Africa", in "Cave Minerals of the World" (1997)
    Switzerland
     
    • Wallis (Valais)
      • Goms
        • Furka pass area
          • Gletsch
    		Stalder, H. A., Wagner, A., Graeser, S. and Stuker, P. (1998): Mineralienlexikon der Schweiz. Wepf (Basel), p. 288.
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
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