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Spiroffite

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Bambollita Mine (Oriental Mine), Moctezuma, Mun. de Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico
© JM 2006

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Formula:
(Mn,Zn)
 
2
Te
4+
3
O
 
8
System:MonoclinicColour:Purplish red to pink
Hardness:3½
Member of:Spiroffite Group
Name:Named after Kiril Spiroff (1901-1981), mineralogist, Michigan college of Mining and Technology, Houghton, Michigan (USA).
This page provides mineralogical data about Spiroffite.

Classification of Spiroffite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/K.13-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.JK.10

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:34.5.1.1

34 : SELENITES, TELLURITES AND SULFITES
5 : A(X3O8)
Hey's CIM Ref.:28.3.11

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

Type Locality:Moctezuma Mine (Bambolla Mine), Moctezuma, Mun. de Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Harvard University, Boston Massachusetts 108109
Year of Discovery:1962

Occurrences of Spiroffite

Geological Setting:Oxidation zone of Au-Te deposits.

Physical Properties of Spiroffite

Lustre:Adamantine
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Purplish red to pink
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):3½
Cleavage:Imperfect/Fair
Noted in two directions.
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):5.01(2) g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.059 g/cm3

Crystallography of Spiroffite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:B2/b {B1 1 2/b} {C2/c} {C1 2/c 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 12.87(2) Å, b = 5.3813(5) Å, c = 11.888(2) Å
β = 98.22(1)°
Ratio:a:b:c = 2.392 : 1 : 2.209
Unit Cell Volume:V 814.87 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Anhedral crystals to 1cm.

Optical Data of Spiroffite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.850(1) nβ = 1.910(1) nγ = 2.200
2V:Measured: 55°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.350

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

Chemical Properties of Spiroffite

Formula:
(Mn,Zn)
 
2
Te
4+
3
O
 
8
Essential elements:Mn, O, Te
All elements listed in formula:Mn, O, Te, Zn
Empirical Formula:
(Mn,Zn)
 
2
Te
4+
3
O
 
8

Relationship of Spiroffite to other Species

Member of:Spiroffite Group
Other Members of Group:

- +
Zincospiroffite
Zn
 
2
Te
4+
3
O
 
8
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.JK.05Winstanleyite
TiTe
4+
3
O
 
8
4.JK.05Walfordite
(Fe
3+
 
,Te
6+
 
)Te
4+
3
O
 
8
4.JK.10Zincospiroffite
Zn
 
2
Te
4+
3
O
 
8
4.JK.15Balyakinite
Cu(TeO
 
3
)
4.JK.20Rajite
Cu(Te
4+
2
O
 
5
)
4.JK.25Carlfriesite
CaTe
4+
2
Te
6+
 
O
 
8
4.JK.30Denningite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ca,Zn)Te
4+
2
O
 
5
4.JK.35Chekhovichite
Bi
 
2
Te
4+
4
O
 
11
4.JK.40Smirnite
Bi
 
2
Te
4+
 
O
 
5
4.JK.45Choloalite
(Cu,Sb)
 
3
(Pb,Ca)
 
3
(TeO
 
3
)
 
6
Cl
4.JK.50Fairbankite
Pb(TeO
 
3
)
4.JK.55Plumbotellurite
Pb(TeO
 
3
)
4.JK.60Magnolite
(Hg
+
2
)(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)
4.JK.65Moctezumite
Pb(UO
 
2
)(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
4.JK.70Schmitterite
(UO
 
2
)(TeO
 
3
)
4.JK.75Cliffordite
(UO
 
2
)Te
4+
3
O
 
7
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
28.3.1Balyakinite
Cu(TeO
 
3
)
28.3.2Rajite
Cu(Te
4+
2
O
 
5
)
28.3.3Graemite
Cu[TeO
 
3
] · H
 
2
O
28.3.4Teineite
Cu[TeO
 
3
] · 2H
 
2
O
28.3.5Cesbronite
Cu
 
5
(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
 · 2H
 
2
O
28.3.6Mroseite
CaTe
4+
 
(CO
 
3
)O
 
2
28.3.7Quetzalcoatlite
Zn
 
6
Cu
 
3
(TeO
 
6
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
 · Ag
 
x
Pb
 
y
Cl
 
x+2y
28.3.8Zemannite
Mg(ZnFe)
 
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
6
·9H
 
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
28.3.12Winstanleyite
TiTe
4+
3
O
 
8
28.3.13Fairbankite
Pb(TeO
 
3
)
28.3.14Plumbotellurite
Pb(TeO
 
3
)
28.3.15Choloalite
(Cu,Sb)
 
3
(Pb,Ca)
 
3
(TeO
 
3
)
 
6
Cl
28.3.16Smirnite
Bi
 
2
Te
4+
 
O
 
5
28.3.17Chekhovichite
Bi
 
2
Te
4+
4
O
 
11
28.3.18Cliffordite
(UO
 
2
)Te
4+
3
O
 
7
28.3.19Schmitterite
(UO
 
2
)(TeO
 
3
)
28.3.20Moctezumite
Pb(UO
 
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+
 
(Te
4+
2
O
 
5
)(OH)
28.3.24Poughite
Fe
3+
2
(TeO
 
3
)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)(H
 
2
O)
 
2
 · H
 
2
O
28.3.25Sonoraite
Fe
3+
 
(TeO
 
3
)(OH) · H
 
2
O
28.3.26Rodalquilarite
Fe
 
2
(TeO
 
2
OH)
 
3
(TeO
 
3
)Cl
28.3.27Eztlite
Pb
 
2
Fe
3+
6
(Te
4+
 
O
 
3
)
 
3
(Te
6+
 
O
 
6
)(OH)
 
10
 · 8H
 
2
O
28.3.28Keystoneite
(Ni,Mg,Fe,Mn)
 
3
Te
 
3
O
 
9
 · 5H
 
2
O

Other Names for Spiroffite

Other Languages:
German:Spiroffit
Russian:Спирофит
Spanish:Spiroffita

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 Spiroffite

Reference List:

- +
American Mineralogist (1962): 47: 196.

American Mineralogist (1964): 49: 444.

Canadian Mineralogist (1996): 34: 21-826.

Mineralogical Society of America, Special Paper: 1.

Internet Links for Spiroffite

Search Engines:
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    • External Links:
  • Look for Spiroffite on Webmineral
  • Look for Spiroffite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Spiroffite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Spiroffite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • Find Spiroffite on www.crystalclassics.co.uk
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • Buy from David K Joyce minerals
  • webminerals
  • SpiriferMinerals.com - high quality low prices
  • Search for minerals at Heliodor
  • rare and unusual minerals mainly crystallized
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Spiroffite specimens
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    • Localities for Spiroffite

    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.
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Chubu Region
        • Shizuoka Prefecture
          • Shimoda City
            • Rendaiji
    		Sakurai & Kato (1965) Kobutsugaku Zasshi (Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Japan) 7, 348-350; Rocks & Min.: 62:167
    Mexico
     
    • Sonora
      • Mun. de Moctezuma
        • Moctezuma
    		Collected by Joe Ruiz and analyzed by XRD.
    Amer.Min.(1962) 47, 196; Lapis 2001(1), 11-40
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Cochise Co.
        • Tombstone Hills
          • Tombstone District
    		Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 379.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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