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Tarbuttite

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Kabwe Mine (Broken Hill Mine), Kabwe (Broken Hill), Central Province, Zambia
© O. Dziallas

Show Tarbuttite Photos (20)
Formula:
Zn
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
System:TriclinicColour:White, colourless, ...
Lustre:Vitreous, PearlyHardness:3½
Name:Named after Percy Coventry Tarbutt, a Director of the Broken Hill Exploration Company who collected some of the first specimens at Broken Hill (now Kabwe), Zambia.


Olivenite Group.

A rare secondary zinc phosphate. An orthorhombic (libethenite-type) polymorph is known.

Classification of Tarbuttite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/B.06-50
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.BB.35

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 about 1:1
Dana 8th edition ID:41.6.7.1

41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : A2(XO4)Zq
Hey's CIM Ref.:19.6.1

19 : Phosphates
6 : Phosphates of Zn
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Type Occurrence of Tarbuttite

Type Locality:Kabwe Mine (Broken Hill Mine), Kabwe (Broken Hill), Central Province, Zambia
Year of Discovery:1907
Geological Setting of type material:Upper portion of the oxidation zone where phosphatic solutions reacted with earlier formed hemimorphite and cerussite.
Associated Minerals at type locality:
VanadiniteSmithsonitePyromorphiteLimoniteHopeite
HemimorphiteDescloiziteCerussite

Physical Properties of Tarbuttite

Lustre:Vitreous, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Comment:Lustre pearly on the cleavage surfaces.
Colour:White, colourless, yellow, red green or brown; colourless in transmitted light.
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):3½
Cleavage:Perfect
On {010}, perfect.
Fracture:Irregular/Uneven
Density (measured):4.12 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.19 g/cm3

Crystallography of Tarbuttite

Crystal System:Triclinic
Class (H-M):1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:P1
Cell Parameters:a = 5.55Å, b = 5.7Å, c = 6.47Å
α = 102.68°, β = 102.81°, γ = 86.88°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.974 : 1 : 1.135
Unit Cell Volume:V 194.71 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:8
Morphology:Crystals equant to short prismatic [001]. Commonly found as sheaf-like aggregates or as crusts. Individual crystals commonly rounded and deeply striated.
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 Tarbuttite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 1.660 nβ = 1.705 nγ = 1.713
2V:Measured: 50°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.053

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

Chemical Properties of Tarbuttite

Formula:
Zn
 
2
[OH|PO
 
4
]
Essential elements:H, O, P, Zn
All elements listed in formula:H, O, P, Zn

Relationship of Tarbuttite to other Species

Related to:
  • Olivenite Group
    • Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
    8.BB.05Amblygonite
    (Li,Na)Al[(F,OH)|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.05Montebrasite
    LiAl[(OH,F)|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.05Tavorite
    LiFe
    3+
     
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.10Triplite
    (Mn
    2+
     
    		,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		[(F,OH)|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.10Zwieselite
    (Fe
    2+
     
    		,Mn
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		[F|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.10IMA2004-009
    Mg
     
    2
    		[PO
     
    4
    		](OH)
    8.BB.15Sarkinite
    Mn
    2+
    2
    		[OH|AsO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.15Triploidite
    (Mn
    2+
     
    		,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.15Wagnerite
    (Mg,Fe
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		[F|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.15Wolfeite
    (Fe
    2+
     
    		,Mn
    2+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.15Stanĕkite
    Fe
    3+
     
    		(Mn
    2+
     
    		,Fe
    2+
     
    		,Mg)[O|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.15Joosteite
    Mn
    2+
     
    		(Mn
    3+
     
    		,Fe
    3+
     
    		)[PO
     
    4
    		]O
    8.BB.20Holtedahlite
    Mg
     
    2
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.20Satterlyite
    (Fe
    2+
     
    		,Mg,Fe
    3+
     
    		)
     
    2
    		[(OH,O)|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.25Althausite
    Mg
     
    2
    		[(OH,F)|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.30Adamite
    Zn
     
    2
    		(AsO
     
    4
    		)(OH)
    8.BB.30Eveite
    Mn
    2+
    2
    		[OH|AsO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.30Libethenite
    Cu
     
    2
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.30Olivenite
    Cu
     
    2
    		[OH|AsO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.30Zincolibethenite
    CuZnPO
     
    4
    		OH
    8.BB.30Zincolivenite
    CuZn(AsO
     
    4
    		)(OH)
    8.BB.35Paradamite
    Zn
     
    2
    		[OH|AsO
     
    4
    		]
    8.BB.40Barbosalite
    Fe
    2+
     
    		Fe
    3+
    2
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    8.BB.40Hentschelite
    CuFe
    3+
    2
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    8.BB.40Lazulite
    (Mg,Fe
    2+
     
    		)Al
     
    2
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    8.BB.40Scorzalite
    (Fe
    2+
     
    		,Mg)Al
     
    2
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    8.BB.40Wilhelmkleinite
    ZnFe
    3+
    2
    		[OH|AsO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    8.BB.45Trolleite
    Al
     
    4
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    3
    8.BB.50Namibite
    Cu(BiO)
     
    2
    		(VO
     
    4
    		)(OH)
    8.BB.55Phosphoellenbergerite
    Mg
     
    14
    		[(OH)
     
    6
    		|(HPO
     
    4
    		,CO
     
    3
    		)
     
    2
    		|(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    6
    		]
    8.BB.60Urusovite
    Cu[AlAsO
     
    5
    		]
    8.BB.65Theoparacelsite
    Cu
     
    3
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|As
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		]
    8.BB.70Turanite
    Cu
     
    5
    		[(OH)
     
    2
    		|VO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    8.BB.75Stoiberite
    Cu
     
    5
    		[O
     
    2
    		|(VO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		]
    8.BB.80Fingerite
    Cu
     
    11
    		[O
     
    2
    		|(VO
     
    4
    		)
     
    6
    		]
    8.BB.85Averievite
    Cu
     
    6
    		[O
     
    2
    		|Cl
     
    2
    		|(VO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		]
    8.BB.90Lipscombite
    (Fe
    2+
     
    		,Mn
    2+
     
    		)Fe
    3+
    2
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    8.BB.90Richellite
    Ca
     
    3
    		Fe
    3+
    10
    		[(OH,F)
     
    3
    		|(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		]
     
    4
    		 · nH
     
    2
    		O (not confirmed)
    8.BB.90Zinclipscombite
    ZnFe
    3+
    2
    		(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		(OH)
     
    2
    Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
    19.6.2Spencerite
    Zn
     
    4
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    		 · 3H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.3Hopeite
    Zn
     
    3
    		(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		·4H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.4Parahopeite
    Zn
     
    3
    		(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		·4H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.5Veszelyite
    (Cu,Zn)
     
    2
    		Zn(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		·2H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.6Kipushite
    (Cu,Zn)
     
    5
    		Zn[(OH)
     
    3
    		|PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    2
    		 · H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.7Scholzite
    CaZn
     
    2
    		(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		·2H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.8Parascholzite
    CaZn
     
    2
    		(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		·2H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.9Ehrleite
    Ca
     
    4
    		Be
     
    3
    		Zn
     
    2
    		[PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    6
    		 · 9H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.10Faustite
    (Zn,Cu)Al
     
    6
    		[(OH)
     
    4
    		|(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		]
     
    2
    		 · 4H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.11Aheylite
    (Fe
    2+
     
    		,Zn)Al
     
    6
    		[(OH)
     
    4
    		|(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		]
     
    2
    		 · 4H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.12Jungite
    Ca
     
    2
    		Zn
     
    4
    		Fe
    3+
    8
    		[OH|PO
     
    4
    		]
     
    9
    		 · 16H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.13Schoonerite
    ZnMn
    2+
     
    		Fe
    2+
    2
    		Fe
    3+
     
    		(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    3
    		(OH)
     
    2
    		 · 9H
     
    2
    		O
    19.6.14Phosphophyllite
    Zn
     
    2
    		Fe(PO
     
    4
    		)
     
    2
    		·4H
     
    2
    		O

    Other Names for Tarbuttite

    German names:
    Tarbuttit
    Russian names:
    Тарбуттит
    Spanish names:
    Tarbuttita

    Other Information

    Other Information:May form pseudomorphs after smithsonite, descloizite and possibly also hemimorphite. May alter to parahopeite.
    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 Tarbuttite

    Reference List:Spencer (1907) Nature: 7: 215.

    Spencer (1908) Mineralogical Magazine (1908): 15: 22.

    Rosický (1913) Bull. Ac. Sc. Bohême: 18: no. 35.

    Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 141.

    Buttgenbach and Mélon (1931) Ac. Roy. Belgique, Bull., Cl. sc.: [5]: 17: 892.

    Richmond (1938) American Mineralogist: 23: 881.

    Richmond (1940) American Mineralogist: 25: 475.

    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.: 869-871.

    Fanfani L., Zanazzi P.F. (1965), Dati strutturali sulla tarbuttite. Periodico di Mineralogia – Roma, 539-545.

    American Mineralogist (1966): 51: 1218-1220.

    Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 123: 321-329.

    Internet Links for Tarbuttite

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  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Tarbuttite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Tarbuttite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Tarbuttite

    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.
    Australia
     
    • New South Wales
      • Yancowinna Co.
        • Broken Hill
    		Australian Min. 3:1 (1997)
    Australian Min. 3:1 (1997)
    • South Australia
      • Flinders Ranges
        • South Flinders Ranges
          • Martins Well
    		Johnston, C.W . & Hill, R.J. (1978): Zinc phosphates at Reaphook Hill South Australia. Mineralogical Record 9,(1), 20-24
    Namibia
     
    • Karas Region
      • Lüderitz District
        • Rosh Pinah
    		Borg, G., Karner, K., Buxton, M., Armstrong, R., Schalk van der Merwe, W. (2003): Geology of the Skorpion supergene zinc deposit, southern Namibia. Economic Geology, 98, 749-771.; Jahn, S. (2007): Tarbuttit von der Skorpion Zink Mine, Namibia. Mineralien-Welt 18 (4), 56-66. (in German)
    USA
     
    • Colorado
      • Lake Co.
        • Leadville District
          • Leadville
            • Iowa Gulch
    		Minerals of Colorado (1997) E.B. Eckels
    Zambia
     
    • Central Province
      • Kabwe (Broken Hill)
    		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: 734, 736, 870.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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