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Pittongite

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Wolfram Mine, Pittong, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia

Formula:
Na
 
0.22
(W,Fe
3+
 
)(O,OH)
 
3
 · 0.44H
 
2
O
System:HexagonalColour:Creamy yellow.
Hardness:2 - 3
Name:After the type locality at Pittong, near Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. Pittong is derived from an Australian aboriginal word for "father."


Structural and chemical similarities to Phyllotungstite. The crystal structure is closely related to that of Pyrochlore, and can be derived from it by periodic, unit-cell-scale twinning parallel to the (111) plane of pyrochlore.

Classification of Pittongite

IMA status:Approved 2006
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/0.0-
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.DH.45

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
H : With large (+- medium-sized) cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
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Type Occurrence of Pittongite

Type Locality:Wolfram Mine, Pittong, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
General Appearance of Type Material:Ferberite
Quartz
Geological Setting of type material:W-bearing quartz veins.

Physical Properties of Pittongite

Comment:Glistening
Colour:Creamy yellow.
Streak:Cream.
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 3
Density (calculated):5.715 g/cm3

Crystallography of Pittongite

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Class (H-M):6 m2 - Ditrigonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:P6m2
Cell Parameters:a = 7.286Å, c = 50.49Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 6.93
Unit Cell Volume:V 2,321.21 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Encrustations of very thin (0.3-0.5 μm) platy crystals.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
5.956 (52)
3.306 (62)
3.153 (100)
3.111 (91)
2.450 (59)
1.823 (76)
1.578 (64)

Chemical Properties of Pittongite

Formula:
Na
 
0.22
(W,Fe
3+
 
)(O,OH)
 
3
 · 0.44H
 
2
O
Essential elements:
All elements listed in formula:Fe, H, Na, O, W

Relationship of Pittongite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
4.DH.05Brannerite
(U
4+
 
,Ca)(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
6
4.DH.05Orthobrannerite
UTi
 
4
O
 
12
(OH)
 
2
4.DH.05Thorutite
(Th,U,Ca)Ti
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
4.DH.10Kassite
CaTi
 
2
O
 
4
(OH)
 
2
4.DH.10Lucasite-(Ce)
CeTi
 
2
(O,OH)
 
6
4.DH.15Alumotungstite
(W,Al)(O,OH)
 
3
4.DH.15Bariomicrolite
Ba(Ta,Nb)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
4.DH.15Bariopyrochlore
(Ba,Sr)
 
2
(Nb,Ti)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
4.DH.15Betafite
(Ca,U)
 
2
(Ti,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
(OH)
4.DH.15Bismutomicrolite
(Bi,Ca)(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
(OH)
4.DH.15Calciobetafite
(Ca,RE,Th,U)
 
2
(Nb,Ta,Ti)
 
2
O
 
7
4.DH.15Ceriopyrochlore-(Ce)
(Ce,Ca,Y)
 
2
(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
(OH,F)
4.DH.15Cesstibtantite
(Cs,Na)SbTa
 
4
O
 
12
4.DH.15Ferritungstite
(W,Fe
3+
 
)(O,OH)
 
3
4.DH.15Jixianite
Pb(W,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
4.DH.15Kalipyrochlore
(K,Sr)
 
2-x
Nb
 
2
O
 
6
(O,OH)·nH
 
2
O
4.DH.15Microlite
(Ca,Na)
 
2
Ta
 
2
O
 
6
(O,OH,F)
4.DH.15Natrobistantite
(Na,Cs)Bi(Ta,Nb,Sb)
 
4
O
 
12
4.DH.15Plumbopyrochlore
(Pb,Y,U,Ca)
 
2-x
Nb
 
2
O
 
6
(OH)
4.DH.15Plumbomicrolite
(Pb,Ca,U)
 
2
Ta
 
2
O
 
6
(OH)
4.DH.15Plumbobetafite
(Pb,U,Ca)(Ti,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
(OH,F)
4.DH.15Pyrochlore
(Ca,Na)
 
2
Nb
 
2
O
 
6
(OH,F)
4.DH.15Stibiomicrolite
(Sb,Ca,Na)
 
2
(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
7
4.DH.15Strontiopyrochlore
(Sr,Ce,Ca)
 
0.66
(Nb,Fe)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
4.DH.15Stannomicrolite
(Sn,Fe,Mn)
 
2
(Ta,Nb,Sn)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
4.DH.15Stibiobetafite
(Sb,Ca)
 
2
(Ti,Nb,Ta)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
4.DH.15Uranmicrolite
(U,Ca,Ce)
 
2
(Ta,Nb)
 
2
O
 
6
(OH,F)
4.DH.15Uranpyrochlore
(U,Ca,Ce)
 
2
(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
(OH,F)
4.DH.15Yttrobetafite-(Y)
(Y,U,Ce)
 
2
(Ti,Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
OH
4.DH.15Yttropyrochlore-(Y)
(Y,Na,Ca,U)
 
1-2
(Nb,Ta,Ti)
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
4.DH.15Fluornatromicrolite
(Na,Ca,Bi)
 
2
Ta
 
2
O
 
6
F
4.DH.15Bismutopyrochlore
(Bi,U,Ca,Pb)
 
1+x
(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
6
(OH)·nH
 
2
O
4.DH.15Thorian Pyrochlore
4.DH.15Elsmoreite
WO
 
3
·0.5H
 
2
O
4.DH.20Bismutostibiconite
Bi(Sb
5+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
7
4.DH.20Bindheimite
Pb
 
2
Sb
 
2
O
 
6
(O,OH)
4.DH.20Monimolite
(Pb,Ca,Fe)
 
3
Sb
 
2
O
 
7
4.DH.20Partzite
Cu
 
2
Sb
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
4.DH.20Roméite
(Ca,Fe,Mn,Na)
 
2
(Sb,Ti)
 
2
O
 
6
(O,OH,F)
4.DH.20Stetefeldtite
Ag
 
2
Sb
 
2
(O,OH)
 
7
4.DH.20Stibiconite
SbSb
 
2
O
 
6
(OH)
4.DH.25Rosiaite
PbSb
5+
2
O
 
6
4.DH.30Zirconolite
CaZrTi
 
2
O
 
7
4.DH.35Liandratite
U(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
8
4.DH.35Petscheckite
UFe(Nb,Ta)
 
2
O
 
8
4.DH.40Ingersonite
Ca
 
3
MnSb
 
4
O
 
14

Other Names for Pittongite

Synonyms:
IMA2005-034a

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:Non-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 Pittongite

Reference List:Grey, I.E., Birch, W.D., Bougerol, C., Mills, S.J. (2006): Unit-cell intergrowth of pyrochlore and hexagonal tungsten bronze structures in secondary tungsten minerals. Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 179, 3860-3869.

Birch, W.D., Grey, I.E., Mills, S.J., Bougerol, C., Pring, A., Ansermet, S. (2007): Pittongite, a new secondary tungstate from Pittong, Victoria, Australia. Canadian Mineralogist, 45, 857-864.

Internet Links for Pittongite

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    Localities for Pittongite

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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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    Australia
     
    • Victoria
      • Ballarat
        • Pittong
    		Birch, W.D., Grey, I.E., Mills, S.J., Bougerol, C., Pring, A., Ansermet, S. (2007): Pittongite, a new secondary tungstate from Pittong, Victoria, Australia. Canadian Mineralogist, 45, 857-864.
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