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Plumbojarosite

Formula:
PbFe
3+
6
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
4
System:TrigonalColour:Golden-brown to ...
Hardness:1½ - 2
Name:Named in 1902 for its composition with dominant lead (Latin = PLUMBum) and its relationship to JAROSITE.


Alunite Group, Jarosite subgroup.

Found as golden brown to dark brown crusts or masses composed of microscopic hexagonal plates; rarely as small crystals of variable morphologies. May also be powdery, earthy, or ochrous.
May be confused with beudantite and other members of the Alunite Group.

Classification of Plumbojarosite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/B.11-100
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.BC.10

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
B : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, without H2O
C : With medium-sized and large cations
Dana 7th edition ID:30.2.5.6
Dana 8th edition ID:30.2.5.6

30 : ANHYDROUS SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
2 : (AB)2(XO4)Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:25.7.13

25 : Sulphates
7 : Sulphates of Pb
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Type Occurrence of Plumbojarosite

Type Locality:Cooks Peak District (Cooke's Peak District), Luna Co., New Mexico, USA
Year of Discovery:1902

Occurrences of Plumbojarosite

Geological Setting:A secondary mineral found in the oxidized zones of lead mineral deposits, particularly in arid regions.

Physical Properties of Plumbojarosite

Lustre:Silky, Dull
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent, Opaque
Comment:May be glistening.
Colour:Golden-brown to dark-brown.
Streak:Pale yellow
Hardness (Mohs):1½ - 2
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Fragile
Cleavage:Imperfect/Fair
Fair on {10_14}.
Fracture:Micaceous
Density (measured):3.665 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.71 g/cm3

Crystallography of Plumbojarosite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3m (3 2/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Space Group:R3m {R3 2/m}
Cell Parameters:a = 7.305Å, c = 33.675Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 4.61
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,556.25 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:3
Morphology:crusts, lumps or compact masses composed of microscopic hexagonal plates; may be pulverant, earthy, or ocherous.

The presence of Pb2+ results in the "c" axis of the hexagonal cell being doubled in comparison to jarosite, with half the Pb sites vacant in an orderly arrangement; and this also results in other minor compensating differences from the jarosite structure.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.06(100)
2.81(50)
2.53(30)
2.25(80)
1.975(30)
1.827(30)
1.532(30)

Optical Data of Plumbojarosite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.878 nε = 1.783
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.095

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Comments:Dichroic:
O = Yellow-brown
E = Nearly colourless

Chemical Properties of Plumbojarosite

Formula:
PbFe
3+
6
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
4
Essential elements:Fe, H, O, Pb, S
All elements listed in formula:Fe, H, O, Pb, S

Relationship of Plumbojarosite to other Species

Member of Group:
Jarosite Subgroup:
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
7.BC.05D'Ansite
Na
 
21
Mg(SO
 
4
)
 
10
Cl
 
3
7.BC.10Alunite
KAl
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.10Ammonioalunite
(NH
 
4
)Al
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.10Ammoniojarosite
(NH
 
4
)Fe
3+
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.10Argentojarosite
AgFe
3+
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.10Beaverite
Pb(Fe
3+
 
,Cu,Al)
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.10Dorallcharite
(Tl,K)Fe
3+
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.10Huangite
CaAl
 
6
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
4
7.BC.10Hydroniumjarosite
(H
 
3
O)Fe
3+
3
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
7.BC.10Jarosite
KFe
3+
 
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.10Minamiite
(Na,Ca
 
0.5
,K)Al
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.10Natroalunite
(Na,K)Al
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.10Natrojarosite
NaFe
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.10Osarizawaite
Pb(Al,Cu)
 
3
[(OH,H
 
2
O)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.10Schlossmacherite
(H
 
3
O,Ca)Al
 
3
[(OH)
 
6
|(SO
 
4
,AsO
 
4
)
 
2
]
7.BC.10Walthierite
BaAl
 
6
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
4
7.BC.15Ye'elimite
Ca
 
4
Al
 
6
[O
 
12
|SO
 
4
]
7.BC.20Atlasovite
K(BiO)Cu
 
6
Fe
3+
 
[Cl|O
 
3
|(SO
 
4
)
 
5
]
7.BC.20Nabokoite
KCu
 
7
Te
4+
 
[Cl|O
 
4
|(SO
 
4
)
 
5
]
7.BC.25Chlorothionite
K
 
2
Cu[Cl
 
2
|SO
 
4
]
7.BC.30Euchlorine
KNaCu
 
3
[O|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
]
7.BC.30Fedotovite
K
 
2
Cu
 
3
[O|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
]
7.BC.35Kamchatkite
KCu
 
3
[O|Cl|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
]
7.BC.40Piypite
K
 
2
Cu
 
2
[O|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
]
7.BC.45Klyuchevskite
K
 
3
Cu
 
3
(Fe
3+
 
,Al)[O|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
2
7.BC.45Alumoklyuchevskite
K
 
3
Cu
 
3
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)[O|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
]
 
2
7.BC.50Caledonite
Cu
 
2
Pb
 
5
[(OH)
 
6
|CO
 
3
|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
]
7.BC.55Wherryite
Pb
 
7
Cu
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
7.BC.60Mammothite
Pb
 
6
Cu
 
4
AlSb[(OH)
 
9
|Cl
 
2
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.65Linarite
PbCu[(OH)
 
2
|SO
 
4
]
7.BC.65Schmiederite
Pb
 
2
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|SeO
 
3
|SeO
 
4
]
7.BC.65Munakataite
Pb
 
2
Cu
 
2
(Se
4+
 
O
 
3
)(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
4
7.BC.70Chenite
Pb
 
4
Cu[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
7.BC.75Krivovichevite
Pb
 
3
[Al(OH)
 
6
](SO
 
4
)(OH)
7.BC.80Anhydrokainite
KMgClSO
 
4
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
25.7.1Schaurteite
Ca
 
3
Ge[(OH)
 
6
|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 4H
 
2
O
25.7.2Zircosulfate
(Zr,Ti)(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
25.7.3Anglesite
PbSO
 
4
25.7.4Lanarkite
Pb
 
2
[O|SO
 
4
]
25.7.5Palmierite
(K,Na)
 
2
Pb(SO
 
4
)
 
2
25.7.6Linarite
PbCu[(OH)
 
2
|SO
 
4
]
25.7.7Elyite
Pb
 
4
Cu(SO
 
4
)O
 
2
(OH)
 
4
·H
 
2
O
25.7.8Chenite
Pb
 
4
Cu[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
25.7.9Osarizawaite
Pb(Al,Cu)
 
3
[(OH,H
 
2
O)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
25.7.10Itoite
Pb
 
3
Ge
4+
 
[O|OH|SO
 
4
]
 
2
25.7.11Fleischerite
Pb
 
3
Ge[(OH)
 
6
|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 3H
 
2
O
25.7.12Beaverite
Pb(Fe
3+
 
,Cu,Al)
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):

- +
30.2.5.1Jarosite
KFe
3+
 
 
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2
30.2.5.3Hydroniumjarosite
(H
 
3
O)Fe
3+
3
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
30.2.5.5Argentojarosite
AgFe
3+
3
[(OH)
 
3
|SO
 
4
]
 
2

Other Names for Plumbojarosite

Synonyms:
Lead JarositeVegasite
Other Languages:
German:Plumbojarosit
Russian:Плюмбоярозит
Spanish:Plumbojarosita

Other Information

Other Information:Very slowly soluble in acids.
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 Plumbojarosite

Reference List:Hillebrand and Penfield (1902) American Journal of Science: 14: 211.

Hillebrand and Wright (1910) American Journal of Science: 30: 191.

Butler and Schaller (1911) American Journal of Science: 32: 422.

Knopf (1915) Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences: 5: 497 (as Vegasite).

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 121.

Hendricks (1937) American Mineralogist: 22: 773.

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. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 1124 pp.: 568-570.

Canadian Mineralogist (1985): 23: 659-668.

Gaines, Richard V., H. Catherine, W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason, Abraham Rosenzweig (1997), Dana's New Mineralogy : The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana: 635.

Mills, S. J., Madsen, I. C., Grey, I. E. & Birch, W. D. (2009) In situ XRD study of the thermal decomposition of arsenian plumbojarosite. Canadian Mineralogist, 47(3), 683–696.

Internet Links for Plumbojarosite

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    Localities for Plumbojarosite

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