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Oxammite

Big Photo

Petrogale Cave, Madura Motel, Eucla, Western Australia, Australia
© 2008, J. Weissman

Formula:
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
System:OrthorhombicColour:Colourless to pale ...
Hardness:2½
Name:In allusion to the composition, containing both OXalate and AMMonium ions.


An organic mineral derived from guano; in sub-fossil bird eggs and on sub-fossil birds.

Classification of Oxammite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:9/A.01-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:10.AB.55

10 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
A : Salts of organic acids
B : Oxalates
Dana 8th edition ID:50.1.5.

50 : ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
1 : Oxalates
Hey's CIM Ref.:31.1.1

31 : Oxalates, Citrates, Mellitates and Acetates
1 : Oxalates
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Type Occurrence of Oxammite

Type Locality:Guañape Island, La Libertad Department, Peru
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Year of Discovery:1870
Geological Setting of type material:Bird guano deposit
Associated Minerals at type locality:
Mascagnite

Occurrences of Oxammite

Geological Setting:Bird and bat guano deposits

Physical Properties of Oxammite

Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Opaque
Colour:Colourless to pale yellow; colourless in transmitted light.
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):2½
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
On {001},distinct.
Density (measured):1.5 g/cm3
Density (calculated):1.541 g/cm3

Crystallography of Oxammite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):2 2 2 - Disphenoidal
Space Group:P21 21 2
Cell Parameters:a = 8.035Å, b = 10.32Å, c = 3.801Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.779 : 1 : 0.368
Unit Cell Volume:V 315.18 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Crystals rare; commonly occurs as lamellar or pulverulent masses. Artificial crystals are spenoidal in form

Optical Data of Oxammite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.438 nβ = 1.547 nγ = 1.595
2V:Measured: 62° , Calculated: 62°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.157

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

Chemical Properties of Oxammite

Formula:
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
Essential elements:C, H, N, O
All elements listed in formula:C, H, N, O

Relationship of Oxammite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
10.AB.05Humboldtine
Fe[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
10.AB.05Lindbergite
Mn
2+
 
[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
10.AB.10Glushinskite
Mg[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
10.AB.15Moolooite
Cu[C
 
2
O
 
4
]·0.4H
 
2
O
10.AB.20Stepanovite
NaMgFe
3+
 
[C
 
2
O
 
4
]
 
3
 · 8-9H
 
2
O
10.AB.25Minguzzite
K
 
3
Fe
3+
 
[C
 
2
O
 
4
]
 
3
 · 3H
 
2
O
10.AB.30Wheatleyite
Na
 
2
Cu[C
 
2
O
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
10.AB.35Zhemchuzhnikovite
NaMg(Fe
3+
 
,Al)[C
 
2
O
 
4
]
 
3
 · 8H
 
2
O
10.AB.40Weddellite
Ca[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
10.AB.45Whewellite
Ca[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
10.AB.50Caoxite
Ca[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · 3H
 
2
O
10.AB.60Natroxalate
Na
 
2
[C
 
2
O
 
4
]
10.AB.65Coskrenite-(Ce)
(Ce,Nd,La)
 
2
[(SO
 
4
)
 
2
|C
 
2
O
 
4
] · 12H
 
2
O
10.AB.70Levinsonite-(Y)
(Y,Nd,La)Al(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(C
 
2
O
 
4
)·12H
 
2
O
10.AB.75Zugshunstite-(Ce)
(Ce,Nd,La)Al(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(C
 
2
O
 
4
)·12H
 
2
O
10.AB.80Novgorodovaite
Ca
 
2
[Cl
 
2
|C
 
2
O
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
31.1.2Moolooite
Cu[C
 
2
O
 
4
]·0.4H
 
2
O
31.1.3Wheatleyite
Na
 
2
Cu[C
 
2
O
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
31.1.4Glushinskite
Mg[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
31.1.5Whewellite
Ca[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
31.1.6Weddellite
Ca[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
31.1.7Humboldtine
Fe[C
 
2
O
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
31.1.8Stepanovite
NaMgFe
3+
 
[C
 
2
O
 
4
]
 
3
 · 8-9H
 
2
O
31.1.9Zhemchuzhnikovite
NaMg(Fe
3+
 
,Al)[C
 
2
O
 
4
]
 
3
 · 8H
 
2
O
31.1.10Minguzzite
K
 
3
Fe
3+
 
[C
 
2
O
 
4
]
 
3
 · 3H
 
2
O

Other Names for Oxammite

Synonyms:
Guañapite
Other Languages:
German:Oxammit
Spanish:Oxammita

Other Information

Other Information:Soluble in water.
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 Oxammite

Reference List:Brio (1867) Konigliche Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna, Sitzber.: 55: 870.

Shepard (1870) Rural Carolinian: 1: 471 (May, 1870).

Tanner (1875) Chemical News and Journal of Industrial Science, London: 32: 162.

Raimondi, A. (1878) Minéraux du Pérou: Catalogue raisonné d’une collection des principaux types minéraux de la République. 336pp., Paris.: 30, 33 (as Guañapite).

Groth, P. (1910) Chemische Krystallographie. Leipzig. 5 volumes: vol. 3: 150.

Frondel, C. (1950) Notes on arcanite, ammonian aphthitalite and arcanite. American Mineralogist, 35, 596–598.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 1124 pp.: 1103-1104.

Winchell, H. and R.J. Benoit (1951) Taylorite, mascagnite, aphthitalite, lecontite, and oxammite from guano. American Mineralogist, 36, 590–601.

National Bureau of Standards Circular 539 (1957), 7, 5.

Taylor, J.C. and T.M. Sabine (1972) Isotope and bonding effects in ammonium oxalate monohydrate, determined by the combined use of neutron and X-ray diffraction analyses. Acta Crystallographica (1972): B28: 3340-3351.

Articles/Blogs about Oxammite

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    Localities for Oxammite

    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.
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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.
    Australia
     
    • Western Australia
      • Eucla
        • Madura Motel
    		Mineralogical Magazine (1977): 41: 33-35.
    Peru
     
    • La Libertad Department
    		American Mineralogist (1951): 36: 590; Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II: 1104.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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