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Sasaite

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Breitenau Mine, Hochlantsch, St. Jakob-Breitenau, Fischbacher Alpen, Styria, Austria
© Antonio Borrelli

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Formula:
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
14
(PO
 
4
)
 
11
(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
7
 · 83H
 
2
O
System:OrthorhombicColour:Colourless to white
Name:From SASA, the acronym for the South African Speleological Association.


Water content varies with humidity.

Classification of Sasaite

IMA status:Approved 1977
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/D.12-05
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.DB.55

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4< 1:1
Dana 8th edition ID:43.5.4.1

43 : COMPOUND PHOSPHATES, ETC.
5 : Hydrated Compound Phosphates, etc·, Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
Hey's CIM Ref.:22.3.21

22 : Phosphates, Arsenates or Vanadates with other Anions
3 : Phosphates, arsenates or vanadates with sulphates
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Type Occurrence of Sasaite

Type Locality:West Driefontein cave, Carletonville, Gauteng Province, South Africa
Year of Discovery:1978

Physical Properties of Sasaite

Colour:Colourless to white

Crystallography of Sasaite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 21.5Å, b = 30.04Å, c = 92.06Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.716 : 1 : 3.065
Unit Cell Volume:V 59,457.87 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Comment:Originally given cell: a = 10.75, b = 15.02, c = 46.03 A, with Z=6.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
11.52 (100)
7.51 (22)
6.99 (23)
6.30 (21)
4.214 (18)
3.262 (18)
2.901 (42)
Comments:Fully hydrated material.

Optical Data of Sasaite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.465 nβ = 1.473 nγ = 1.477
2V:Measured: 15° , Calculated: 70°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.012

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:r > v strong

Chemical Properties of Sasaite

Formula:
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
14
(PO
 
4
)
 
11
(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
7
 · 83H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, H, O, P, S
All elements listed in formula:Al, Fe, H, O, P, S

Relationship of Sasaite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.DB.05Diadochite
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH) · 5H
 
2
O
8.DB.05Pitticite
(Fe, SO
 
4
, AsO
 
4
, H
 
2
O) ?
8.DB.05Destinezite
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH) · 6H
 
2
O
8.DB.10Vashegyite
Al
 
11
(PO
 
4
)
 
9
(OH)
 
6
 · 38H
 
2
O
8.DB.15Schoonerite
ZnMn
2+
 
Fe
2+
2
Fe
3+
 
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 9H
 
2
O
8.DB.20Sinkankasite
H
 
2
Mn
2+
 
Al(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH) · 6H
 
2
O
8.DB.25Mitryaevaite
Al
 
6
(PO
 
4
)((P,S)O
 
3
(OH,O))
 
2
F
 
2
(OH)
 
2
 · 14.5H
 
2
O
8.DB.30Sanjuanite
Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH) · 9H
 
2
O
8.DB.35Sarmientite
Fe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH) · 5H
 
2
O
8.DB.40Bukovskýite
Fe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH) · 7H
 
2
O
8.DB.45Zýkaite
Fe
3+
4
(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
(SO
 
4
)(OH) · 15H
 
2
O
8.DB.50Giniite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
5
 · 2H
 
2
O
8.DB.60Mcauslanite
HFe
2+
3
Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
F · 18H
 
2
O
8.DB.65Goldquarryite
CuCd
 
2
Al
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
F
 
2
(H
 
2
O,F)
 
2
 · 10H
 
2
O
8.DB.70Birchite
Cd
 
2
Cu
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(SO
 
4
) · 5H
 
2
O
8.DB.75Braithwaiteite
NaCu
 
5
Ti
 
2
Sb
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)(HAsO
 
4
)
 
2
O
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
22.3.1Parnauite
Cu
 
9
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
10
 · 7H
 
2
O
22.3.2Ardealite
Ca
 
2
(HPO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
) · 4H
 
2
O
22.3.3Machatschkiite
(Ca,Na)
 
6
(AsO
 
4
)(HAsO
 
4
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
,SO
 
4
) · 15H
 
2
O
22.3.4Clinotyrolite
Ca
 
2
Cu
 
9
(AsO
 
4
,SO
 
4
)
 
4
(OH,O)
 
10
 · 10H
 
2
O
22.3.5Peisleyite
Na
 
3
Al
 
16
(PO
 
4
)
 
10
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
17
 · 20H
 
2
O
22.3.6Chalcophyllite
Cu
 
18
Al
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
27
 · 33H
 
2
O
22.3.7Woodhouseite
CaAl
 
3
(PO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
6
22.3.8Schlossmacherite
(H
 
3
O,Ca)Al
 
3
(SO
 
4
,AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
22.3.9Svanbergite
SrAl
 
3
(PO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
6
22.3.10Kemmlitzite
(Sr,Ce)Al
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
6
22.3.11Sanjuanite
Al
 
2
(PO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH) · 9H
 
2
O
22.3.12Kribergite
Al
 
5
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
4
 · 4H
 
2
O
22.3.13Hotsonite
Al
 
11
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
21
 · 16H
 
2
O
22.3.14Weilerite
22.3.15Tsumebite
Pb
 
2
Cu(PO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH)
22.3.16Arsentsumebite
Pb
 
2
Cu(AsO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH)
22.3.17Hinsdalite
PbAl
 
3
(PO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
6
22.3.18Hidalgoite
PbAl
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
6
22.3.19Orpheite
22.3.20Coconinoite
Fe
3+
2
Al
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
2
 · 20H
 
2
O
22.3.22Tristramite
(Ca,U,Fe)(PO
 
4
,SO
 
4
) · 2H
 
2
O
22.3.23Corkite
PbFe
 
3
(PO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
6
22.3.24Beudantite
PbFe
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
6
22.3.25Diadochite
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH) · 5H
 
2
O
22.3.26Sarmientite
Fe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH) · 5H
 
2
O
22.3.27Bukovskýite
Fe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH) · 7H
 
2
O
22.3.28Zýkaite
Fe
3+
4
(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
(SO
 
4
)(OH) · 15H
 
2
O
22.3.29Tooeleite
Fe
3+
6
(As
3+
 
O
 
3
)
 
4
(SO
 
4
)(OH)
 
4
 · 4H
 
2
O
22.3.30Pitticite
(Fe, SO
 
4
, AsO
 
4
, H
 
2
O) ?
22.3.31Xiangjiangite
(Fe
3+
 
,Al)(UO
 
2
)
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH) · 22H
 
2
O

Other Names for Sasaite

Synonyms:
IMA1977-033
Other Languages:
German:Sasait
Simplified Chinese:多水硫磷铝石
Spanish:Sasaita

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 Sasaite

Reference List:

- +
Martini, J. (1978): Sasaite, a new phosphate mineral from West Driefontein Cave, Transvaal, South Africa. Mineral. Mag., 42, 401–404. [Abs. in American Mineralogist (1979): 64: 464-465.]

Canadian Mineralogist (1983): 21: 497.

Internet Links for Sasaite

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  • Sasaite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    • Localities for Sasaite

    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.
    Australia
     
    • Victoria
      • Corangamite Shire
        • Skipton
          • Mt. Widderin (Anderson's Hill)
    		Birch, W.D. & D.A. Henry, eds. (1993): Phosphate Minerals of Victoria. The Mineralogical Society of Victoria - Special publication No.3 (192p): 123-144.
      • Parish of Edi
    Austria
     
    • Styria
      • Fischbacher Alpen
        • St. Jakob-Breitenau
          • Hochlantsch
    		Landesmuseum Joanneum (Graz, Styria) collection; Postl, W. (1990)
    Canada
     
    • Yukon Territory
      • Dawson Mining District
    		MinRec 23:4-47
    [MinRec Vol 23:Yukon 38]
    China
     
    • Guizhou Province
      • Zunyi Prefecture
        • Zunyi Co.
          • Zunyi Ni-Mo-PGE-Au ore field
    		Taiyi Luo, Xiaobiao Li, Linbo Yao, and Dan Zhu (2003): Acta Mineralogica Sinica 23(3), 205-210
    Germany
     
    • Thuringia
      • Saalfeld
        • Garnsdorf
    		Wittern: "Mineralfundorte in Deutschland", 2001
    South Africa
     
    • Gauteng Province
      • Carletonville
    		Min.Mag.(1978) 42, 401-404
      • Oberholzer
    		Minerals of South Africa
    • Mpumalanga Province
      • Nelspruit District
    		Martini, J.E.J. et al (1997), "Mbobo Mkulu Cave, South Africa", in "Cave Minerals of the World" (1997)
    • Northwest Province
      • Oberholzer
    		Minerals of South Africa
    USA
     
    • Virginia
      • Bath Co.
    		NSS Bulletin 44:90-97 (1982)
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