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Pseudocotunnite

Big Photo

La Fossa Crater, Vulcano Island, Eolie Islands (Aeolian Islands), Lipari, Messina Province, Sicily, Italy
© luigi chiappino

Formula:
K
 
2
PbCl
 
4
System:OrthorhombicColour:Colourless, white
Name:From the resemblance of the crystals to cotunnite.


Doubtful species, although the compound K2PbCl4 is known in synthetic form.
See also the related challacolloite.

Classification of Pseudocotunnite

IMA status:Questionable/Doubtful
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/D.0-50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.DC.90

3 : HALIDES
D : Oxyhalides, hydroxyhalides and related double halides
C : With Pb (As,Sb,Bi), without Cu
Dana 8th edition ID:11.2.1.1

11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
2 : AmBX4
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.8.12

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
8 : Halides of Pb
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Type Occurrence of Pseudocotunnite

Type Locality:Mt. Vesuvius, Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Naples Province, Campania, Italy
Year of Discovery:1873
Geological Setting of type material:Active volcanic fumaroles.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
TenoriteCotunnite

Physical Properties of Pseudocotunnite

Lustre:Dull
Colour:Colourless, white

Crystallography of Pseudocotunnite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 9.82Å, b = 11.8Å, c = 5.77Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.832 : 1 : 0.489
Unit Cell Volume:V 668.60 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Crystals flattened on {010} or {100}, with indistinct {hk0} and {0kl} faces; elongated [001] into needle-like or lath-like shapes. Veruginous aggregates and dendritic crusts.
Comment:Probably orthorhombic (synthetic crystals have space group Pnma).

Optical Data of Pseudocotunnite

Type:Biaxial
Dispersion:relatively weak

Chemical Properties of Pseudocotunnite

Formula:
K
 
2
PbCl
 
4
Essential elements:Cl, K, Pb
All elements listed in formula:Cl, K, Pb
Analytical Data:Easily fusible; completely soluble in warm water.
Relationship of Pseudocotunnite to other Species
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- + 
3.DC.05Laurionite
PbClOH
3.DC.05Paralaurionite
PbClOH
3.DC.10Fiedlerite
Pb
 
3
Cl
 
4
F(OH)·H
 
2
O
3.DC.15Penfieldite
Pb
 
2
[OH|Cl
 
3
]
3.DC.20Laurelite
Pb(F,Cl,OH)
 
2
3.DC.25Bismoclite
BiOCl
3.DC.25Daubréeite
BiO(OH,Cl)
3.DC.25Matlockite
PbFCl
3.DC.25Rorisite
CaFCl
3.DC.25Zavaritskite
BiOF
3.DC.25Zhangpeishanite
BaFCl
3.DC.30Nadorite
PbSb[O
 
2
|Cl]
3.DC.30Perite
PbBi[O
 
2
|Cl]
3.DC.35Aravaipaite
Pb
 
3
[F
 
3
|AlF
 
6
] · H
 
2
O
3.DC.37Calcioaravaipaite
PbCa
 
2
[(F,OH)
 
3
|AlF
 
6
] · H
 
2
O
3.DC.40Thorikosite
Pb
 
3
[OH|(SbO
 
3
,AsO
 
3
)|Cl
 
2
]
3.DC.45Mereheadite
Pb
 
47
O
 
24
(OH)
 
13
Cl
 
25
(BO
 
3
)
 
2
(CO3)
3.DC.50Blixite
Pb
 
2
[(O,OH)
 
2
|Cl]
3.DC.55Pinalite
Pb
 
3
WO
 
5
Cl
 
2
3.DC.60Symesite
Pb
 
10
[O
 
7
|SO
 
4
|Cl
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
3.DC.65Ecdemite
Pb
 
6
[As
 
2
O
 
7
|Cl
 
4
]
3.DC.65Heliophyllite
Pb
 
3
AsO
 
4-n
Cl
 
2n+1
3.DC.70Mendipite
Pb
 
3
[O
 
2
|Cl
 
2
]
3.DC.75Damaraite
Pb
 
3
[O
 
2
|OH|Cl]
3.DC.80Onoratoite
Sb
 
8
O
 
11
Cl
 
2
3.DC.85Cotunnite
PbCl
 
2
3.DC.95Barstowite
Pb
 
4
[Cl
 
6
|CO
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- + 
8.8.1Abhurite
Sn
 
21
Cl
 
16
(OH)
 
14
O
 
6
8.8.2Matlockite
PbFCl
8.8.3Laurelite
Pb(F,Cl,OH)
 
2
8.8.4Cotunnite
PbCl
 
2
8.8.5Mendipite
Pb
 
3
[O
 
2
|Cl
 
2
]
8.8.6Damaraite
Pb
 
3
[O
 
2
|OH|Cl]
8.8.7Laurionite
PbClOH
8.8.8Paralaurionite
PbClOH
8.8.9Penfieldite
Pb
 
2
[OH|Cl
 
3
]
8.8.10Fiedlerite
Pb
 
3
Cl
 
4
F(OH)·H
 
2
O
8.8.11Blixite
Pb
 
2
[(O,OH)
 
2
|Cl]
8.8.13Diaboleite
Pb
 
2
CuCl
 
2
(OH)
 
4
8.8.14Pseudoboleite
Pb
 
31
Cu
 
24
Cl
 
62
(OH)
 
48
8.8.15Chloroxiphite
Pb
 
3
CuO
 
2
Cl
 
2
(OH)
 
2
8.8.17Bideauxite
Pb
 
2
Ag[(F,OH)
 
2
|Cl
 
3
]
8.8.18Boleite
KPb
 
26
Ag
 
9
Cu
 
24
(OH)
 
48
Cl
 
62
8.8.19Aravaipaite
Pb
 
3
[F
 
3
|AlF
 
6
] · H
 
2
O
8.8.20Yedlinite
Pb
 
6
(Cl,OH)
 
6
Cr
 3+
 
(OH,O)
 
8
8.8.21Kolarite
PbTeCl
 
2
8.8.22Hematophanite
Pb
 
4
Fe
 
3
O
 
8
(OH,Cl)
Other Names for Pseudocotunnite
Synonyms:
Mellonite
Other Languages:
German:Pseudocotunnit
Italian:Pseudocotunnia
Spanish:Pseudocotunnita
Other Information
Other Information:Totally soluble in warm 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 Pseudocotunnite
Reference List:Scacchi, A. (1873): Contribuzioni mineralogiche per servire alla storia dell'incendio vesuviano del mese di aprile 1872 (parte seconda). Rendiconti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze Fisiche e Matematiche di Napoli, Serie 1, 6, 69 pp.



Scacchi, A. (1873): Acc. Napoli Att.: 6: no. 9 (as Pseudocotunnia).



Palmieri (1873) Reale accademia delle scienze fisische e matematiche, Naples, Rend.: 92 (as Pseudocotunnite).



Lorenz & Ruckstuhl (1906): Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie, 51, 70-80.



Pelloux, A. (1927): The minerals of Vesuvius. American Mineralogist, 12, 14-19.



Zambonini, F. (1935): Mineralogia vesuviana. (2nd ed. by E. Quercigh Eds. Napoli, Italy). Atti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze Fisiche e Matematiche di Napoli, Serie II, suppl. 20, 1-463.



Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951): The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Seventh edition, Volume II: 96-97.



Bellanca, A. & Sgarlata, F. (1952): Sulla struttura della pseudocotunnite. Rendiconti della Società Mineralogica Italiana, 8, 53.



Pensovecchio, M. & Salemi, E. (1952): Natura e sintesi della pseudocotunnite. Rendiconti della Società Mineralogica Italiana, 8, 58-59.


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    Localities for Pseudocotunnite
    






    


    

    
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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. 
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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.

    Greece
     
    

    • Attikí (Attica; Attika) Prefecture
    

      • Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium) District
    
    		[MinMax website]
    Italy
     
    

    • Campania
    

      • Naples Province
    

        • Somma-Vesuvius Complex
    
    		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: 96; Russo, M., 2006: I minerali di formazione fumarolica della grande eruzione vesuviana del 1906
    

    


    

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