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Rossite

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Big Photo

Blue Cap Mine, Lyon Canyon Creek, La Sal District (Paradox Valley District), San Juan Co., Utah, USA
© Brent Thorne 2007

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Formula:
Ca(V
 
2
O
 
6
) · 4H
 
2
O
System:TriclinicColour:Pale yellow; yellow in ...
Hardness:2 - 3
Name:Named after Dr. Clarence Samuel Ross (1880-1975), American geologist and mineralogist, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C., USA.
Dimorph of:Calciodelrioite


Rossite Group.

A rare calcium vanadate hydrate that transforms reversibly to metarossite (dehydration within a few weeks time).


Classification of Rossite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/G.07-50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.HD.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
H : V[5,6] Vanadates
D : Inovanadates
Dana 8th edition ID:47.1.1.1

47 : VANADIUM OXYSALTS
1 : Normal Anhydrous Vanadium Oxysalts
Hey's CIM Ref.:21.2.2

21 : Vanadates (and vanadates with arsenate or phosphate)
2 : Vanadates of Mg, Ca, Sr or Ba
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Type Occurrence of Rossite

Type Locality:Arrowhead tunnel (O'Neill's claim), Bull Pen Canyon, San Miguel County, Colorado, USA
General Appearance of Type Material:Veinlets; small glasy lumps surrounded by alteration rims of metarossite.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA: #95331, R5707.
Year of Discovery:1926
Geological Setting of type material:Carnotite-bearing sandstone
Associated Minerals at type locality:
MetarossiteGypsumCarnotite

Physical Properties of Rossite

Lustre:Vitreous, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Pale yellow; yellow in transmitted light.
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 3
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
One direction, prominent.
Density (measured):2.45 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.42 g/cm3

Crystallography of Rossite

Crystal System:Triclinic
Class (H-M):1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:P1
Cell Parameters:a = 8.552Å, b = 8.576Å, c = 7.028Å
α = 101.5°, β = 114.96°, γ = 103.39°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.997 : 1 : 0.819
Unit Cell Volume:V 428.03 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Small glassy lumps surrounded by alteration rims. Artificial crystals commonly elongated [001] and rather flattened on {010}; rarely tabular {001}, lath-like or acicular [001].
Twinning:On {100} ?
Comment:Space group is based on recrystallized material.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

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

Optical Data of Rossite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.710 nβ = 1.770 nγ = 1.840
2V:Measured: 60° , Calculated: 90°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.130

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Dispersion:relatively strong
Comments:Optical class is based on recrystallized material.

Chemical Properties of Rossite

Formula:
Ca(V
 
2
O
 
6
) · 4H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Ca, H, O, V
All elements listed in formula:Ca, H, O, V

Relationship of Rossite to other Species

Structurally related to group(s):
Rossite Group
Common Associates:
ThenarditeHummeriteHuemuliteGypsumEpsomite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.HD.10Metarossite
Ca(V
 
2
O
 
6
) · 2H
 
2
O
4.HD.15Munirite
NaVO
 
3
 · 1.9H
 
2
O
4.HD.20Metamunirite
NaVO
 
3
4.HD.25Dickthomssenite
Mg(V
 
2
O
 
6
) · 7H
 
2
O
4.HD.30Ansermetite
Mn
2+
 
(V
 
2
O
 
6
) · 4H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
21.2.1Metarossite
Ca(V
 
2
O
 
6
) · 2H
 
2
O
21.2.3Metahewettite
CaV
 
6
O
 
16
 · 3H
 
2
O
21.2.4Hewettite
CaV
 
6
O
 
16
 · 9H
 
2
O
21.2.5Pintadoite
Ca
 
2
(V
 
2
O
 
7
) · 9H
 
2
O
21.2.6Hendersonite
(Ca,Sr)
 
1.3
V
 
6
O
 
16
 · 6H
 
2
O
21.2.7Fernandinite
(Ca,K)(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
8
O
 
20
 · 10H
 
2
O
21.2.8Pascoite
Ca
 
3
(V
 
10
O
 
28
) · 17H
 
2
O
21.2.9Sherwoodite
Ca
 
4.5
(AlV
4+
2
V
5+
12
O
 
40
) · 28H
 
2
O
21.2.10Melanovanadite
Ca(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
)
 
4
O
 
10
 · 5H
 
2
O
21.2.11Grantsite
(Na,Ca)V
 
6
O
 
16
 · 4H
 
2
O
21.2.12Hummerite
K
 
2
Mg
 
2
(V
 
10
O
 
28
) · 16H
 
2
O
21.2.13Metadelrioite
CaSr(V
 
2
O
 
6
)(OH)
 
2
21.2.14Delrioite
CaSr(V
 
2
O
 
6
)(OH)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
21.2.15Straczekite
(Ca,K,Ba)(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
)
 
8
O
 
20
 · 3H
 
2
O
21.2.16Gamagarite
Ba
 
2
(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)(VO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)

Other Names for Rossite

Other Languages:
German:Rossit
Russian:Россит
Spanish:Rossita

Other Information

Other Information:Slowly soluble in water. Transforms to Metarossite in open air within a matter of weeks. The process is reversible.
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 Rossite

Reference List:

- +
Foshag, W. F. and Hess, F. L. (1928): Rossite and metarossite; two new vanadates from Colorado. Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum, 72, 1.

American Mineralogist (1928): 13: 160 (abstract).

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.: 1053-1054.

Ahmed, F.R. and W.H. Barnes (1963) The crystal structure of rossite. Canadian Mineralogist: 7: 713–726.

Bayliss, P. (1985) Powder X-ray diffraction data of rossite. Mineralogical Magazine 49: 140-141.

Internet Links for Rossite

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

    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.
    Hide Locality List
    (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.
    Argentina
     
    • Mendoza
      • Malargüe Department
        • Pampa Amarilla District
    		C.E. Gordillo, E. Linares, R.O. Toubes, H. Winchell: Amer. Mineral. 51:1-13 (1966); American Mineralogist: 51: 1-13
    Russia
     
    • Northern Region
      • Karelia Republic
        • Lake Onega
          • Zaonezhie peninsula
            • Velikaya Guba uran-vanadium deposit
    		P.M. Kartashov data
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Apache Co.
    		Page, L. R.; Stocking, H. E.; Smith, H. B. (1956) Contributions to the geology of uranium and thorium by the United States Geological Survey and Atomic Energy Commission for the United Nations International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva, Switzerland, 1955. USGS Professional Paper 300 pp195-201
    Page, L. R.; Stocking, H. E.; Smith, H. B. (1956) Contributions to the geology of uranium and thorium by the United States Geological Survey and Atomic Energy Commission for the United Nations International Conference on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, Geneva, Switzerland, 1955. USGS Professional Paper 300 pp1243-267
    Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 357; Galbraith, F.W. & D.J. Brennan (1959), Minerals of AZ: 78.
    • Colorado
      • Montrose Co.
        • Uravan District
    		"Luc Vandenberghe" collection
      • San Miguel Co.
        • Slick Rock District
          • Bull Pen Canyon
    		Rocks & Minerals 80:5 pp358-359
    Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.; Frost, R.L., K.L. Erickson, M.L. Weier, and O. Carmody, Raman and infrared spectroscopy of selected vanadates. Spectrochimica Acta, Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 2005. 61A(5): p. 829-834.
    Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckels, E. B.
        • Uravan District
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
          • Carnation Mine group
    		Excalibur Mineral Co. sample and analysis
      • San Miguel County
        • Bull Pen Canyon
    		Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum (1927): 72, 1-12.
    • New Mexico
      • San Juan Co.
    		Northrop, Minerals of New Mexico, 3rd. Rev. Ed., 1996
          • Eastside mines
    		NMBGMR Open-file Report - 466
    • Utah
      • Grand Co.
        • Moab
    		Min News 16:10 p1
        • Polar Mesa District (Polar Mesa)
    		Collected by and in the collection of Brent Thorne.
    UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah
        • Thompsons District (S. E. Thomsons)
          • Parco Mine Group
    		UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah
        • Yellow Cat District (W. part of Thompsons District)
          • Cisco
    		UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah
      • San Juan Co.
        • La Sal District (Paradox Valley District)
          • Lyon Canyon Creek
    		Collected by and in the collection of Brent Thorne.
        • La Sal Quadrangle
    		Canadian Mineralogist (2001) 39, pp. 1691-1700
        • White Canyon District
          • Red Canyon
    		Min News 5:10 p1-5
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    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2013. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them. Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. Mindat does not offer minerals for sale. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register.
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