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Ashburtonite

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Ashburton Downs, Ashburton Shire, Pilbara Region, Western Australia, Australia
© Brent Thorne

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Formula:
Pb
 
4
Cu
 
4
(Si
 
4
O
 
12
)(HCO
 
3
)
 
4
(OH)
 
3
Cl · H
 
2
O
System:TetragonalColour:Blue
Lustre:Adamantine
Name:Named for the type locality near the Ashburton Downs pastoral lease and homestead, Western Australia, Australia.
This page provides mineralogical data about Ashburtonite.

Classification of Ashburtonite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:8/E.06-60
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:9.CF.05

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
C : Cyclosilicates
F : [Si4O12]8- 4-membered single rings, with insular complex anions
Dana 8th edition ID:78.4.2.1

78 : Unclassified Silicates
4 :
Hey's CIM Ref.:17.4.13

17 : Silicates Containing other Anions
4 : Silicates with carbonates
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-388.html
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Type Occurrence of Ashburtonite

Type Locality:Cu deposit, Mineral Claim 84, Ashburton Downs, Ashburton Shire, Pilbara Region, Western Australia, Australia
Year of Discovery:1991

Physical Properties of Ashburtonite

Lustre:Adamantine
Colour:Blue

Crystallography of Ashburtonite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Cell Parameters:a = 14.23Å, c = 6.1Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.429
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,235.21 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Ashburtonite

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 1.786 nε = 1.800
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.014

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

Chemical Properties of Ashburtonite

Formula:
Pb
 
4
Cu
 
4
(Si
 
4
O
 
12
)(HCO
 
3
)
 
4
(OH)
 
3
Cl · H
 
2
O
Essential elements:C, Cl, Cu, H, O, Pb, Si
All elements listed in formula:C, Cl, Cu, H, O, Pb, Si

Relationship of Ashburtonite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
9.CF.10Kainosite-(Y)
Ca
 
2
(Y,Ce)
 
2
(Si
 
4
O
 
12
)(CO
 
3
) · H
 
2
O
9.CF.15Clinophosinaite
Na
 
12
(Ca,Sr)
 
4
(Si
 
4
O
 
12
)(PO
 
4
)
 
4
9.CF.15Phosinaite-(Ce)
Na
 
13
Ca
 
2
(Ce,La,Th,Nd,Pr)(Si
 
4
O
 
12
)(PO
 
4
)
 
4
9.CF.20Strakhovite
NaBa
 
3
(Mn,Mn)
 
4
Si
 
6
O
 
19
(OH)
 
3
9.CF.25Cerchiaraite
Ba
 
4
Mn
 
4
Si
 
6
(O,OH,Cl)
 
26
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
17.4.1Tilleyite
Ca
 
5
(Si
 
2
O
 
7
)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
17.4.2Spurrite
Ca
 
5
(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
17.4.3Paraspurrite
17.4.4Scawtite
Ca
 
7
(Si
 
3
O
 
9
)
 
2
CO
 
3
 · 2H
 
2
O
17.4.5Fukalite
Ca
 
4
[Si
 
2
O
 
6
][CO
 
3
](OH)
 
2
17.4.6Meionite
Ca
 
4
Al
 
6
Si
 
6
O
 
24
CO
 
3
17.4.7Cancrinite
(Na,Ca,☐)
 
8
(Al
 
6
Si
 
6
O
 
24
)(CO
 
3
,SO
 
4
)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
17.4.8Carletonite
KNa
 
4
Ca
 
4
Si
 
8
O
 
18
(CO
 
3
)
 
4
(OH,F) · H
 
2
O
17.4.9Iimoriite-(Y)
Y
 
2
[SiO
 
4
][CO
 
3
]
17.4.10Kainosite-(Y)
Ca
 
2
(Y,Ce)
 
2
(Si
 
4
O
 
12
)(CO
 
3
) · H
 
2
O
17.4.11Caysichite-(Y)
Ca
 
2
Y
 
2
Si
 
4
O
 
10
(CO
 
3
)
 
3
 · 4H
 
2
O
17.4.12Lepersonnite-(Gd)
Ca(Gd,Dy)
 
2
(UO
 
2
)
 
24
(SiO
 
4
)
 
4
(CO
 
3
)
 
8
(OH)
 
24
 · 48H
 
2
O
17.4.14Surite
(Pb,Ca)
 
3
(Al,Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
((Si,Al)
 
4
O
 
10
)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
17.4.15Tundrite-(Ce)
Na
 
2
Ce
 
2
Ti(SiO
 
4
)(CO
 
3
)
 
2
O
 
2
17.4.16Tundrite-(Nd)
Na
 
3
(Nd,La)
 
4
(Ti,Nb)
 
2
(SiO
 
4
)
 
2
(CO
 
3
)
 
3
O
 
4
(OH) · 2H
 
2
O

Other Names for Ashburtonite

Synonyms:
IMA1990-033
Other Languages:
German:Ashburtonit
Russian:Ашбуртонит
Spanish:Ashburtonita

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 Ashburtonite

Reference List:

- +
Grice, J. D., Nickel, E. H., Gault, R. A. (1991): Ashburtonite, a new bicarbonate-silicate mineral from Ashburton Downs, Western Australia: Description and structure determination: American Mineralogist: 76, 1701-1707.

New Minerals (1997), New Minerals 1990-1994.

Internet Links for Ashburtonite

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

    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
     
    • Western Australia
      • Pilbara Region
        • Ashburton Shire
          • Ashburton Downs
    		Min. Record 24,203-218(1993)
            • Mineral Claim 84
    		Amer.Min.(1991) 76, 1701-1707
    USA
     
    • Arizona
      • Maricopa Co.
        • Big Horn Mts
          • Osborn District
            • Tonopah
              • Belmont Mountain
    		Collected by and in the collection of Joe Ruiz. Analyzed at the University of Arizona.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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