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Olmsteadite

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Big Chief Mine, Glendale, Keystone District, Pennington Co., South Dakota, USA
© 2004 ROM

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Formula:
KFe
2+
2
(Nb
5+
 
,Ta
5+
 
)[O|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
System:OrthorhombicHardness:4
This page provides mineralogical data about Olmsteadite.

Classification of Olmsteadite

IMA status:Approved 1974
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/D.39-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.DJ.05

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
J : With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 1:1
Dana 8th edition ID:42.7.11.1

42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
7 : (AB)2(XO4)Zq·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:22.5.13

22 : Phosphates, Arsenates or Vanadates with other Anions
5 : Phosphates, arsenates or vanadates with chromate, molybdate, niobate or tantalate
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Type Occurrence of Olmsteadite

Type Locality:Big Chief Mine, Glendale, Keystone District, Pennington Co., South Dakota, USA
Year of Discovery:1976

Physical Properties of Olmsteadite

Hardness (Mohs):4

Crystallography of Olmsteadite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 7.47Å, b = 10.03Å, c = 6.53Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.745 : 1 : 0.651
Unit Cell Volume:V 489.25 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Crystal Atlas:
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Olmsteadite - Tabular {001}
Olmsteadite - Tabular {100}

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Optical Data of Olmsteadite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.725 - 1.765 nβ = 1.755 - 1.775 nγ = 1.815 - 1.835
2V:Measured: 60° , Calculated: 46° to 74°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.090

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

Chemical Properties of Olmsteadite

Formula:
KFe
2+
2
(Nb
5+
 
,Ta
5+
 
)[O|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Fe, H, K, Nb, O, P
All elements listed in formula:Fe, H, K, Nb, O, P, Ta

Relationship of Olmsteadite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.DJ.05Johnwalkite
K(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
(Nb
5+
 
,Ta
5+
 
)[O|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2(H
 
2
O,OH)
8.DJ.10Gatumbaite
CaAl
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
8.DJ.15Camgasite
CaMg[OH|AsO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
8.DJ.20Phosphofibrite
KCuFe
3+
15
(PO
 
4
]
 
12
(OH)
 
12
 · 12H
 
2
O ?
8.DJ.20Meurigite-K
[K(H
 
2
O)
 
2.5
][Fe
3+
8
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
(OH)
 
7
(H
 
2
O)
 
4
]
8.DJ.20IMA 2007-024
[Na(H
 
2
O)
 
2.5
][Fe
3+
8
(PO
 
4
)
 
6
(OH)
 
7
(H
 
2
O)
 
4
]
8.DJ.25Jungite
Ca
 
2
Zn
 
4
Fe
3+
8
[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
9
 · 16H
 
2
O
8.DJ.30Wycheproofite
NaAlZr[OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
8.DJ.35Ercitite
NaMn
3+
 
(PO
 
4
)(OH)·2H
 
2
O
8.DJ.40Mrázekite
Bi
 
2
Cu
 
3
[O|OH|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
8.DJ.45Attikaite
Ca
 
3
Cu
 
2
Al
 
2
[AsO
 
4
]
 
4
(OH)
 
4
 · 2H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
22.5.1Vauquelinite
Pb
 
2
Cu[OH|PO
 
4
|CrO
 
4
]
22.5.2Embreyite
Pb
 
5
[PO
 
4
|CrO
 
4
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
22.5.3Cassedanneite
Pb
 
5
[VO
 
4
|CrO
 
4
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
22.5.4Fornacite
Pb
 
2
Cu[OH|(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)|CrO
 
4
]
22.5.5Molybdofornacite
Pb
 
2
Cu[OH|(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)|(MoO
 
4
,CrO
 
4
)]
22.5.6Mendozavilite
Na(Ca,Mg)
 
2
[Fe
 
6
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(PMo
 
11
O
 
39
)(OH,Cl)
 
10
]·33H
 
2
O
22.5.7Paramendozavilite
NaAl
 
4
[Fe
 
7
(PO
 
4
)
 
5
(PMo
 
12
O
 
40
)(OH)
 
16
]·56H
 
2
O
22.5.8Betpakdalite
{Mg(H
 
2
O)
 
6
}Ca
 
2
(H
 
2
O)
 
13
[Mo
6+
8
As
5+
2
Fe
3+
3
O
 
36
(OH)](H
 
2
O)
 
4
22.5.9Natrobetpakdalite
(Na
 
2
,Ca)Fe
 
2
(As
 
2
Mo
 
6
O
 
28
)·15H
 
2
O
22.5.10Obradovicite
H
 
4
(K,Na)CuFe
 
2
AsO
 
4
(MoO
 
4
)
 
5
·12H
 
2
O
22.5.11Melkovite
CaFeH
 
6
(MoO
 
4
)
 
4
PO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O or near·
22.5.12Rankachite
(V
4+
 
,V
5+
 
)(W
6+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
8
(OH)•(Ca
 
x
H
 
2
O
 
y
) with x ~ 0.5, y ~ 2.
22.5.14Johnwalkite
K(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
(Nb
5+
 
,Ta
5+
 
)[O|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2(H
 
2
O,OH)

Other Names for Olmsteadite

Synonyms:
IMA1974-034
Other Languages:
German:Olmsteadit
Russian:Олмстедит
Spanish:Olmsteadita

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 Olmsteadite

Reference List:American Mineralogist (1976): 61: 5-11.

Articles/Blogs about Olmsteadite

Internet Links for Olmsteadite

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    Localities for Olmsteadite

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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.
    USA
     
    • South Dakota
      • Pennington Co.
        • Keystone District
          • Glendale
    		Clark, 1993 - "Hey's Mineral Index".
          • Keystone
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