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Rajite

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Lone Pine Mine, Lone Pine Hill area, Wilcox District, Catron Co., New Mexico, USA
© Thomas Witzke

Show Rajite Photos (2)
Formula:
Cu[Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]
System:MonoclinicColour:Bright Duesbury green
Hardness:4
Name:For American mineralogist, Dr. Robert Allen Jenkins (R.A.J.) who found the first samples.
This page provides mineralogical data about Rajite.

Classification of Rajite

IMA status:Approved 1978
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/K.12-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.JK.20

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
J : Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites; iodates
K : Tellurites without additional anions, without H2O
Dana 8th edition ID:34.4.2.1

34 : SELENITES, TELLURITES AND SULFITES
4 : A(X2O5)
Hey's CIM Ref.:28.3.2

28 : Selenites, Selenates, Tellurites, and Tellurates
3 : Tellurites
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Type Occurrence of Rajite

Type Locality:Lone Pine Mine, Lone Pine Hill area, Wilcox District, Catron Co., New Mexico, USA
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 119101
Year of Discovery:1979

Physical Properties of Rajite

Lustre:Resinous, Dull
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Semitransparent
Comment:Dull if altered
Colour:Bright Duesbury green
Streak:Pale green
Hardness (Mohs):4
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Imperfect/Fair
On {010}
Density (measured):5.75(6) g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.77 g/cm3

Crystallography of Rajite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:P21/b (P1 1 21/b) [P21/c] {P1 21/c 1} {P21/a}
Cell Parameters:a = 6.866Å, b = 9.314Å, c = 7.598Å
β = 109.1°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.737 : 1 : 0.816
Unit Cell Volume:V 459.14 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:As tabular to bladed crystals.

Optical Data of Rajite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 2.115 nβ = 2.135 nγ = 2.260
2V:Measured: 40° , Calculated: 46°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.145

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Dispersion:strong
Pleochroism:Weak
Comments:Watery greens

Chemical Properties of Rajite

Formula:
Cu[Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]
Essential elements:Cu, O, Te
All elements listed in formula:Cu, O, Te

Relationship of Rajite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
4.JK.05Winstanleyite
TiTe
 
3
O
 
8
4.JK.05Walfordite
(Fe
3+
 
,Te
6+
 
)Te
4+
3
O
 
8
4.JK.10Spiroffite
(Mn,Zn)
 
2
Te
 
3
O
 
8
4.JK.10Zincospiroffite
Zn
 
2
[Te
 
3
O
 
8
]
4.JK.15Balyakinite
CuTeO
 
3
4.JK.25Carlfriesite
CaTe
 
3
O
 
8
4.JK.30Denningite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca,Zn)[Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]
4.JK.35Chekhovichite
Bi
 
2
Te
 
4
O
 
11
4.JK.40Smirnite
(BiO)
 
2
[TeO
 
3
]
4.JK.45Choloalite
PbCu[TeO
 
3
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
4.JK.50Fairbankite
PbTeO
 
3
4.JK.55Plumbotellurite
PbTeO
 
3
4.JK.60Magnolite
Hg
 
2
TeO
 
3
4.JK.65Moctezumite
PbUO
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
4.JK.70Schmitterite
(UO
 
2
)[TeO
 
3
]
4.JK.75Cliffordite
UTe
 
3
O
 
9
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
28.3.1Balyakinite
CuTeO
 
3
28.3.3Graemite
Cu[TeO
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
28.3.4Teineite
Cu[TeO
 
3
] · 2H
 
2
O
28.3.5Cesbronite
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
3
|TeO
 
3
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
28.3.6Mroseite
CaTeO
 
2
CO
 
3
28.3.7Quetzalcoatlite
Zn
 
6
Cu
 
3
(TeO
 
6
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
·Ag
 
x
Pb
 
y
Cl
 
x+2y
28.3.8Zemannite
(H,Na)
 
2
(Zn,Fe)
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
3
·nH
 
2
O
28.3.9Kinichilite
(Fe,Mg,Zn)
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
3
(Na
 
x
H
 
2-x
)·3H
 
2
O
28.3.10Denningite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca,Zn)[Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]
28.3.11Spiroffite
(Mn,Zn)
 
2
Te
 
3
O
 
8
28.3.12Winstanleyite
TiTe
 
3
O
 
8
28.3.13Fairbankite
PbTeO
 
3
28.3.14Plumbotellurite
PbTeO
 
3
28.3.15Choloalite
PbCu[TeO
 
3
]
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
28.3.16Smirnite
(BiO)
 
2
[TeO
 
3
]
28.3.17Chekhovichite
Bi
 
2
Te
 
4
O
 
11
28.3.18Cliffordite
UTe
 
3
O
 
9
28.3.19Schmitterite
(UO
 
2
)[TeO
 
3
]
28.3.20Moctezumite
PbUO
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
28.3.21Emmonsite
Fe
3+
2
[TeO
 
3
]
 
3
 · 2H
 
2
O
28.3.22Blakeite
Fe
3+
2
[TeO
 
3
]
 
3
 (?)
28.3.23Mackayite
Fe
3+
 
[OH|Te
4+
2
O
 
5
]
28.3.24Poughite
Fe
3+
2
[SO
 
4
|(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
] · 3H
 
2
O
28.3.25Sonoraite
Fe
3+
 
[OH|TeO
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
28.3.26Rodalquilarite
H
 
3
Fe
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
4
Cl
28.3.27Eztlite
Pb
 
2
Fe
3+
6
[(OH)
 
10
|(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)
 
3
|Te
6+
 
O
 
6
] · 8H
 
2
O
28.3.28Keystoneite
(Ni,Mg,Fe,Mn)
 
3
Te
 
3
O
 
9
·5H
 
2
O

Other Names for Rajite

Synonyms:
IMA1978-039
German names:
Rajit
Russian names:
Раджит
Spanish names:
Rajita

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 Rajite

Reference List:Williams, S. A. (1979): Rajite, naturally occurring cupric pyrotellurite, a new mineral. Mineralogical Magazine, 43, 91-92.

American Mineralogist (1979): 64: 1331.

Acta Crystallographica: B29: 963-970.

Internet Links for Rajite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
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  • Rajite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Rajite

    (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
     
    • New Mexico
      • Catron Co.
        • Wilcox District
          • Lone Pine Hill area
    		[Min.Mag.(1979) 43, 91-92; MinRec 20:10, 10:301]
    Mineral and/or Locality
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