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Rosasite

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Rohdenhaus Quarry (incl. Krieger Quarry), Rohdenhaus, Wülfrath, Niederberg area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
© Harjo

Show Rosasite Photos (190)
Formula:
(Cu,Zn)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
System:MonoclinicColour:Blue, blue-green to ...
Hardness:4½
Name:Named after its discovery locality, the Rosas Mine, Sulcis, Sardinia, Italy.


Rosasite Group. Malachite-Rosasite Series.

Rosasite is a secondary mineral found in the oxidization zone of copper-zinc deposits. Cu:Zn ratio is near 3:2

Classification of Rosasite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/C.01-80
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:5.BA.10

5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
B : Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
A : With Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Mn
Dana 8th edition ID:16a.3.1.2

16a : ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : (AB)2(XO3)Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:11.6.3

11 : Carbonates
6 : Carbonates of Zn and Cd
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Type Occurrence of Rosasite

Type Locality:Rosas Mine, Narcao, Carbonia-Iglesias Province, Sardinia, Italy
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Natural History Museum, Paris, France
Year of Discovery:1908
Geological Setting of type material:In the oxidized zone of a Zn-Cu deposit.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
SideriteMalachiteGreenockiteBrochantiteAurichalcite

Physical Properties of Rosasite

Lustre:Vitreous, Silky
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Semitransparent
Colour:Blue, blue-green to green, sky-blue; colourless to light blue in transmitted light.
Streak:Light blue
Hardness (Mohs):4½
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
In two directions at right angles.
Density (measured):4 - 4.2 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.15 g/cm3

Crystallography of Rosasite

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 = 9.354(3) Å, b = 12.873(3) Å, c = 3.156(2) Å
β = 90.11°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.727 : 1 : 0.245
Unit Cell Volume:V 380.03 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Occurs as mammilary, botryoidal or veruginous crusts with a fibrous to spherulitic structure.
Twinning:On {100}.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data: Peaks:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.

Optical Data of Rosasite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.672 - 1.688 nβ = 1.796 - 1.830 nγ = 1.811 - 1.831
2V:Measured: 33° (5), Calculated: 36°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.139 - 0.143

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Dispersion:r > v strong
Pleochroism:Strong
Comments:X = Pale emerald green or Colourless
Y = Dark emerald green or Pale blue
Z = Dark emerald green or Pale blue

Chemical Properties of Rosasite

Formula:
(Cu,Zn)
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|CO
 
3
]
Essential elements:C, Cu, H, O
All elements listed in formula:C, Cu, H, O, Zn
Common Impurities:Mg,Fe

Relationship of Rosasite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Malachite (see here)
Related to:
  • Rosasite Group
    • Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
    5.BA.05Azurite
    Cu
     
    3
    		[OH|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    5.BA.10Georgeite
    Cu
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		] · 6H
     
    2
    		O
    5.BA.10Glaukosphaerite
    (Cu,Ni)
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
    5.BA.10Kolwezite
    (Cu,Co)
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
    5.BA.10Malachite
    Cu
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
    5.BA.10Mcguinnessite
    (Mg,Cu)
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
    5.BA.10Nullaginite
    Ni
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
    5.BA.10Pokrovskite
    Mg
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
    5.BA.10Zincrosasite
    (Zn,Cu)
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
    5.BA.10Chukanovite
    Fe
    2+
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
    5.BA.15Aurichalcite
    (Zn,Cu)
     
    5
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    5.BA.15Hydrozincite
    Zn
     
    5
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    5.BA.20Holdawayite
    Mn
     
    6
    		(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    		(OH)
     
    7
    		(Cl,OH)
    5.BA.25Defernite
    Ca
     
    6
    		(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2-x
    		(SiO
     
    4
    		)
     
    x
    		(OH)
     
    7
    		(Cl,OH)
     
    1-2x
    		 (x=0.5)
    5.BA.30Loseyite
    (Zn,Mn
    2+
     
    		)
     
    7
    		[(OH)
     
    5
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    5.BA.30Sclarite
    (Zn,Mg,Mn
    2+
     
    		)
     
    4
    		Zn
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    5
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
    11.6.1Smithsonite
    ZnCO
     
    3
    11.6.2Hydrozincite
    Zn
     
    5
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    11.6.4Zincrosasite
    (Zn,Cu)
     
    2
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
    11.6.5Aurichalcite
    (Zn,Cu)
     
    5
    		[(OH)
     
    3
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    11.6.6Claraite
    (Cu,Zn)
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    4
    		|CO
     
    3
    		] · 4H
     
    2
    		O
    11.6.7Minrecordite
    CaZn(CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    11.6.8Loseyite
    (Zn,Mn
    2+
     
    		)
     
    7
    		[(OH)
     
    5
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    11.6.9Sclarite
    (Zn,Mg,Mn
    2+
     
    		)
     
    4
    		Zn
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    5
    		|CO
     
    3
    		]
     
    2
    11.6.10Otavite
    CdCO
     
    3

    Other Names for Rosasite

    Synonyms:
    Parauricalcite-I
    German names:
    Rosasit
    Spanish names:
    Rosasita
    Varieties:
    Nickeloan Rosasite

    Other Information

    Other Information: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 Rosasite

    Reference List:Lovisato (1908) Reale accademia nazionale dei Lincei, Rend. Rome: 17: 723.

    Biehl (1921) Mineral Abstracts: 1: 202 (as Paraurichalcite-I).

    Perrier (1921) Reale accademia nazionale dei Lincei, Rend., Rome: 30(5): 119.

    Barth and Berman (1930) Chemie der Erde, Jena: 5: 22.

    Lauro, C. (1937) Sulla presenza della parauricalcite I nella miniera di Rosas (Sulcis). Periodico di Mineralogia – Roma pp. 151-160.

    Lauro, C. (1938) Periodico de Mineralogia-Roma: 9: 105.

    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: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 251-252.

    Powder Diffraction: 1(1): 56-57.

    American Mineralogist (1987): 72: 1028.

    Anthony, J.W., Bideaux, R.A., Bladh, K.W., and Nichols, M.C. (2003) Handbook of Mineralogy, Volume V. Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates. Mineral Data Publishing, Tucson, AZ, 813pp.: 596.

    Internet Links for Rosasite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Rosasite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Rosasite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Rosasite

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