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Rossite

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Blue Cap Mine, Paradox Valley District, Paradox Valley, 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.


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:O'Neill's Claim, Dolores River, Bull Pen Canyon, Slick Rock District, San Miguel Co., 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: Peaks:
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

Member of Group:
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
·2H
 
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
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
|V
 
4
O
 
10
] · 3H
 
2
O
21.2.4Hewettite
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
|V
 
4
O
 
10
] · 9H
 
2
O
21.2.5Pintadoite
Ca
 
2
V
 
2
O
 
7
·9H
 
2
O
21.2.6Hendersonite
(Ca,Sr)
 
x
(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
)
 
12
O
 
32
·12H
 
2
O (x about 2.6)
21.2.7Fernandinite
(Ca,K)[(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
4
O
 
10
]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
21.2.8Pascoite
Ca
 
3
[V
 
10
O
 
28
] · 17H
 
2
O
21.2.9Sherwoodite
Ca
 
9
Al
 
2
V
 
4
V
 
24
O
 
80
·56H
 
2
O
21.2.10Melanovanadite
Ca
 
2
V
 
4
V
 
6
O
 
25
·nH
 
2
O
21.2.11Grantsite
(Na
 
2
,Ca)[V
 
2
O
 
6
|(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
)
 
4
O
 
10
] · 4H
 
2
O
21.2.12Hummerite
K
 
2
Mg
 
2
[V
 
10
O
 
28
] · 16H
 
2
O
21.2.13Metadelrioite
CaSr[(OH)
 
2
|V
 
2
O
 
6
]
21.2.14Delrioite
CaSr[(OH)
 
2
|V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 3H
 
2
O
21.2.15Straczekite
(Ca,K,Ba)V
 
8
O
 
20
·3H
 
2
O
21.2.16Gamagarite
Ba
 
2
(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)[OH|(VO
 
4
)
 
2
]

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
  • Search for Rossite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Rossite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Rossite

    Hide Locality List
    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.
    (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
    		P.M. Kartashov data
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Apache Co.
        • Lukachukai Mts
    		Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 357; Galbraith, F.W. & D.J. Brennan (1959), Minerals of AZ: 78.
    • Colorado
      • San Miguel Co.
        • Slick Rock District
          • Bull Pen Canyon
    		Rocks & Minerals 80:5 pp358-359
            • Dolores River
    		Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum (1927): 72, 1-12.
    Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckel, E. B.
    Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckels, E. B.
        • Uravan District
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
    • New Mexico
      • San Juan Co.
    		Northrop, Minerals of New Mexico, 3rd. Rev. Ed., 1996
          • Eastside mines
    		Minerals of New Mexico 3rd ed.
    • Utah
      • Grand Co.
        • Moab
    		Min News 16:10 p1
    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 Quadrangle
    		Canadian Mineralogist (2001) 39, pp. 1691-1700
        • Paradox Valley
          • Paradox Valley District
    		Collected by and in the collection of Brent Thorne.
        • White Canyon District
          • Red Canyon
    		Min News 5:10 p1-5
    Mineral and/or Locality
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