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Steigerite

Big Photo

Monument No. 2 Mine, Monument No. 2 channel, Monument Valley, Navajo Indian Reservation, Apache Co., Arizona, USA
© Maurice de Graaf

Show Steigerite Photos (6)
Formula:
AlVO
 
4
·3H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Canary-yellow, greenish ...
Hardness:2½ - 3
Name:Named after American Dr. George Steiger (1869-1944), Chief Chemist, US Geological Survey, Washington, D.C., USA.


A secondary mineral occurring either as impregnations in sandstones or as a weathering product from vanadium-rich schists.

Classification of Steigerite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/C.12-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.CE.65

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H2O
E : With only medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O about 1:2.5
Dana 8th edition ID:40.4.5.1

40 : HYDRATED NORMAL PHOSPHATES,ARSENATES AND VANADATES
4 : (AB)5(XO4)2·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:21.3.1

21 : Vanadates (and vanadates with arsenate or phosphate)
3 : Vanadates of Al, rare earths, Pb, V or Bi
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Type Occurrence of Steigerite

Type Locality:Sullivan Brothers claims, Gypsum Valley District, San Miguel Co., Colorado, USA
General Appearance of Type Material:Fracture cotings
Place of Conservation of Type Material:U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA: #C5108.
Year of Discovery:1935
Geological Setting of type material:Nodular concretions of Corvusite in sandstone.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
GypsumFervanite

Physical Properties of Steigerite

Lustre:Waxy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Semitransparent
Comment:Lustre waxy in compact aggregates
Colour:Canary-yellow, greenish yellow, olive-green
Hardness (Mohs):2½ - 3
Tenacity:Fragile
Cleavage:Perfect
On {010}, perfect; on {100}, fair.
Density (measured):2.52 - 2.58 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.58 g/cm3

Crystallography of Steigerite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:P21/m (P1 1 21/m) [P21/m] {P1 21/m 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 11.84Å, b = 25Å, c = 11.04Å
β = 111.17°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.474 : 1 : 0.442
Unit Cell Volume:V 3,047.30 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:24
Morphology:Cryptocrystalline fibrous, may be flat platy {010} Gumlike to compact massive, commonly as pulverulent coatings.
Comment:Class is either 2/ or 2; Space Group is either P21/m or P21.

Optical Data of Steigerite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.720 - 1.730 nβ = 1.730 - 1.734 nγ = 1.748 - 1.752
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.028

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

Chemical Properties of Steigerite

Formula:
AlVO
 
4
·3H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Al, H, O, V
All elements listed in formula:Al, H, O, V

Relationship of Steigerite to other Species

Common Associates:
VashegyiteVarisciteVanaliteTyuyamuniteSatpaevite
RauviteNavajoiteHewettiteHalloysiteGypsum
FervaniteDelvauxiteCorvusiteAlunite
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
8.CE.05Chudobaite
(Na,K)(Mg,Zn)
 
2
H(AsO
 
4
)(OH,O)
 
6
8.CE.05Geigerite
Mn
 
5
[HAsO
 
4
|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 10H
 
2
O
8.CE.10Newberyite
MgHPO
 
4
·3H
 
2
O
8.CE.15Brassite
MgHAsO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
8.CE.20Phosphorrösslerite
MgHPO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
8.CE.20Rösslerite
MgHAsO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
8.CE.25Metaswitzerite
Mn
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
8.CE.25Switzerite
(Mn,Fe)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·7H
 
2
O
8.CE.30Lindackerite
CuCu
 
4
[HAsO
 
4
|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8-9H
 
2
O
8.CE.30IMA2005-053
(Zn,Cu,Co)Cu
 
4
[HAsO
 
4
|AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 9H
 
2
O
8.CE.30Pradetite
CoCu
 
4
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
(AsO
 
3
OH)
 
2
·9H
 
2
O
8.CE.35Bobierrite
Mg
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.40Annabergite
Ni
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.40Arupite
Ni
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.40Barićite
(Mg,Fe)
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.40Erythrite
Co
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.40Ferrisymplesite
Fe
3+
3
[(OH)
 
3
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 5H
 
2
O
8.CE.40Hörnesite
Mg
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.40Köttigite
Zn
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.40Manganohörnesite
(Mn,Mg)
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.40Parasymplesite
Fe
2+
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.40Vivianite
Fe
2+
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.40Pakhomovskyite
Co
 
3
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
8.CE.45Symplesite
Fe
2+
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.50Cattiite
Mg
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·22H
 
2
O
8.CE.55Koninckite
Fe
3+
 
[PO
 
4
] · 3H
 
2
O
8.CE.60Kaňkite
FeAsO
 
4
·3.5H
 
2
O
8.CE.70Metaschoderite
Al
 
2
PO
 
4
VO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
8.CE.70Schoderite
Al
 
2
PO
 
4
VO
 
4
·8H
 
2
O
8.CE.75Mahlmoodite
8.CE.75Malhmoodite
FeZr(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
8.CE.80Santabarbaraite
Fe
3+
3
[(OH)
 
3
|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 5H
 
2
O
8.CE.85Metaköttigite
(Zn,Fe,Fe)
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·8(H
 
2
O,OH)
8.CE.85Metavivianite
Fe
2+
3-x
Fe
3+
x
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)x·(8-x)H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
21.3.2Alvanite
(Zn,Ni)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 2H
 
2
O
21.3.3Metaschoderite
Al
 
2
PO
 
4
VO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
21.3.4Schoderite
Al
 
2
PO
 
4
VO
 
4
·8H
 
2
O
21.3.5Satpaevite
Al
 
12
V
 
2
V
 
6
O
 
37
·30H
 
2
O
21.3.6Vanalite
NaAl
 
8
V
 
10
O
 
38
·30H
 
2
O
21.3.7Wakefieldite-(Ce)
(Ce,Pb)VO
 
4
21.3.7Wakefieldite-(Y)
YVO
 
4
21.3.8Chervetite
Pb
 
2
[V
 
2
O
 
7
]
21.3.9Mottramite
Pb(Cu,Zn)[OH|VO
 
4
]
21.3.10Descloizite
Pb(Zn,Cu)[OH|VO
 
4
]
21.3.11Clinobisvanite
BiVO
 
4
21.3.11Dreyerite
BiVO
 
4
21.3.11Pucherite
BiVO
 
4
21.3.12Schumacherite
Bi
 
3
[O|OH|(VO
 
4
)
 
2
]
21.3.13Namibite
Cu(BiO)
 
2
(VO
 
4
)(OH)
21.3.14Pottsite
HPbBi(VO
 
4
)
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
21.3.15Duhamelite
(Pb,Bi,Ca)Cu[(OH,O)|VO
 
4
]

Other Names for Steigerite

German names:
Steigerit
Spanish names:
Steigerita
Varieties:
Chromsteigerite

Other Information

Other Information:Readily soluble in dilute mineral acids to a deep cherry-red solution. Insoluble in water.
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 Steigerite

Reference List:Henderson (1935) American Mineralogist: 20: 769-772.

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.: 1049-1050.

Ankinovich, E.A., F.A. Kurmakaeva, and I.S. Zazubina (1987) Steigerite and vanalite from carbonaceous-siliceous vanadium-bearing formations of northwestern Kara-Tau (southern Kazakhstan).Zapiski Vserossiyskogo Mineralogicheskogo Obshchestva: 116: 100–113 (in Russian with English abstract).

Internet Links for Steigerite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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  • Steigerite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Steigerite

    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.
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    (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.
    Kazakhstan
     
    • Ongtüstik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Southern-Kazakhstan Oblast')
      • Karatau Range
        • Kurumsak River Valley
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Apache Co.
        • Navajo Indian Reservation
          • Monument Valley
            • Monument No. 2 channel
    		Anthony, J.W., et al (1995), Mineralogy of Arizona, 3rd.ed.: 380; Witkind, I.J. & R.E. Thaden (1963), Geology and uranium-vanadium deposits of the Monument Valley area, Apache and Navajo Cos., AZ: 117; Weeks, A.D., et al (1955), Navajoite, a new vanadium oxide from AZ, Am.Min.: 40: 207-212; Galbraith, F.W. & D.J. Brennan (1959), Minerals of AZ: 77
    • Colorado
      • Mesa Co.
        • Uravan District
          • Calamity Mesa
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
    Minerals of Colorado (1997) Eckels, E. B.
      • Montrose Co.
        • Uravan District
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
      • San Miguel Co.
        • Gypsum Valley District
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
    Amer.Min(1935) 20, 769-772; "Minerals of Colorado, updated & revised", p. 455, by Eckel, Edwin B., 1997
    • Utah
      • Grand Co.
        • Yellow Cat District (W. part of Thompsons District)
          • Cisco
    		UGMS Bull 117 Minerals and Mineral Localities of Utah
    Mineral and/or Locality
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