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Abhurite

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SS Cheerful wreck site, St Ives District, Cornwall, England, UK
© Steve Rust

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Formula:
Sn
 
21
Cl
 
16
(OH)
 
14
O
 
6
System:TrigonalColour:Colourless
Hardness:2
Name:The name is derived from its discovery locality, in the Sharm Abhur Cove, Jiddah (Jeddah), Red Sea, Mintaqat Makkah, Saudi Arabia.


This mineral is formed from the reaction of pure tin with sea water, and has exclusively been associated with tin ingots from shipwrecks. If discovered today it would be unlikely this would be accepted as a true mineral.

Classification of Abhurite

IMA status:Approved 1983
Explanation of status:This would not be recognised as a valid mineral if discovered today.
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/D.05-10
Strunz 9th edition ID:3.DA.30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.DA.30

3 : HALIDES
D : Oxyhalides, hydroxyhalides and related double halides
A : With Cu, etc., without Pb
Dana 8th edition ID:10.5.9.1

10 : OXYHALIDES AND HYDROXYHALIDES
5 : Am(O,OH)pXq
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.8.1

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
8 : Halides of Pb
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Type Occurrence of Abhurite

Type Locality:Sharm Abhur Cove, Jiddah (Jeddah), Red Sea, Mintaqat Makkah, Saudi Arabia
General Appearance of Type Material:blisterlike protuberances
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada
National Museum of National History, Washington, DC, USA
Year of Discovery:1983
Geological Setting of type material:On the surface of a tin ingot revovered from a ship wrecked possibly 100 years ago

Occurrences of Abhurite

Geological Setting:On tin ingots corroded by sea-water

Physical Properties of Abhurite

Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):2
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Fragile
Cleavage:None Observed
Fracture:Hackly
Density (measured):4.42 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.417 g/cm3

Crystallography of Abhurite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Cell Parameters:a = 10.0175Å, c = 44.014Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 4.394
Unit Cell Volume:V 3,825.08 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:3
Morphology:six-sided crystals, platy to tabular on (0001), showing {0115} and {0001}
Twinning:on {0001}
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
2.5313 (100)
2.8175 (50)
2.8915 (70)
3.244 (35)
3.271 (35)
3.404 (50)
Comments:Recorded on type material

Optical Data of Abhurite

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 2.060 nε = 2.110
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.050

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

Chemical Properties of Abhurite

Formula:
Sn
 
21
Cl
 
16
(OH)
 
14
O
 
6
Essential elements:Cl, H, O, Sn
All elements listed in formula:Cl, H, O, Sn
Analyical Data:Sn content measured by wet chemical analysis, Cl content with an ion-selective electrode, H content with a CHN analyzer, O content by neutron activation analysis
Sn (73.4)
Cl (15.7)
O (11.0)
H (0.4)

sum 100.5 wt.-%

Relationship of Abhurite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):
3.DA.05Melanothallite
Cu
 
2
[O|Cl
 
2
]
3.DA.10aAtacamite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10bBotallackite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10bClinoatacamite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10aHibbingite
Fe
2+
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10aKempite
Mn
2+
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10cParatacamite
Cu
 
3
(Cu,Zn)[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
3.DA.10bBelloite
Cu[OH|Cl]
3.DA.10cHerbertsmithite
Cu
 
3
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
3.DA.10cKapellasite
Cu
 
3
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
3.DA.10cGillardite
Cu
 
3
NiCl
 
2
(OH)
 
6
3.DA.10cHaydeeite
Cu
 
3
Mg(OH)
 
6
Cl
 
2
3.DA.15Claringbullite
Cu
 
4
[(OH)
 
7
|Cl] · nH
 
2
O
3.DA.20Simonkolleite
Zn
 
5
[(OH)
 
8
|Cl
 
2
] · H
 
2
O
3.DA.25Buttgenbachite
Cu
 
19
[(OH)
 
32
|(NO
 
3
)
 
2
|Cl
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
3.DA.25Connellite
Cu
 
19
[(OH)
 
32
|SO
 
4
|Cl
 
4
] · 3H
 
2
O
3.DA.35Ponomarevite
K
 
4
Cu
 
4
[O|Cl
 
10
]
3.DA.40Anthonyite
Cu(OH,Cl)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
3.DA.40Calumetite
Cu(OH,Cl)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
3.DA.45Khaidarkanite
Na
 
0.34
Cu
 
4
Al
 
3
(OH)
 
14
F
 
3
·2H
 
2
O
3.DA.50Bobkingite
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
8
|Cl
 
2
] · 2H
 
2
O
3.DA.55Avdoninite
K
 
2
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
4
|Cl
 
8
] · H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:
8.8.2Matlockite
PbFCl
8.8.3Laurelite
Pb(F,Cl,OH)
 
2
8.8.4Cotunnite
PbCl
 
2
8.8.5Mendipite
Pb
 
3
[O
 
2
|Cl
 
2
]
8.8.6Damaraite
Pb
 
3
[O
 
2
|OH|Cl]
8.8.7Laurionite
PbClOH
8.8.8Paralaurionite
PbClOH
8.8.9Penfieldite
Pb
 
2
[OH|Cl
 
3
]
8.8.10Fiedlerite
Pb
 
3
Cl
 
4
F(OH)·H
 
2
O
8.8.11Blixite
Pb
 
2
[(O,OH)
 
2
|Cl]
8.8.12Pseudocotunnite
K
 
2
PbCl
 
4
8.8.13Diaboleite
Pb
 
2
CuCl
 
2
(OH)
 
4
8.8.14Pseudoboleite
Pb
 
31
Cu
 
24
Cl
 
62
(OH)
 
48
8.8.15Chloroxiphite
Pb
 
3
CuCl
 
2
(OH)
 
2
O
 
2
8.8.17Bideauxite
Pb
 
2
Ag[(F,OH)
 
2
|Cl
 
3
]
8.8.18Boleite
KPb
 
26
Ag
 
9
Cu
 
24
(OH)
 
48
Cl
 
62
8.8.19Aravaipaite
Pb
 
3
[F
 
3
|AlF
 
6
] · H
 
2
O
8.8.20Yedlinite
Pb
 
6
(Cl,OH)
 
6
Cr
3+
 
(OH,O)
 
8
8.8.21Kolarite
PbTeCl
 
2
8.8.22Hematophanite
Pb
 
4
Fe
 
3
O
 
8
(OH,Cl)

Other Names for Abhurite

Synonyms:
IMA1983-061
German names:
Abhurit
Russian names:
Абхурит
Spanish names:
Abhurita

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.
Industrial Uses:none

References for Abhurite

Reference List:Von Schnering, H. G., Nesper, R. and Pelshenke, H. (1981): Sn21Cl16(OH)14O6, das sogenannte basische Zinn(II)-chlorid. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung 36b, 1551-1560 (in German with English abstract).

Matzko, J. J., Evans, H. T., Jr., Mrose, M. E. and Aruscavage, P. (1985): Abhurite, a new tin hydroxychloride mineral, and a comparative study with a synthetic basic tin chloride. Canadian Mineralogist 23, 233-240. - American Mineralogist (1989), 74, 500 (abstract).

Edwards, R., Gillard, R. D. and Williams, P. A. (1992): The stabilities of secondary tin minerals: abhurite and its relationships to Sn(II) and Sn(IV) oxides and oxyhydroxides. Mineralogical Magazine 56, 221-226.

American Mineralogist (1993), 78, 235-236.

Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 1.

Internet Links for Abhurite

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    Localities for Abhurite

    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.
    Jamaica
     
    • Kingston Parish
    		http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-04262002-142814/unrestricted/Thesis.PDF.
    Norway
     
    • Vest-Agder
      • Flekkefjord
        • Hidra (Hitterø)
    		J. W. Anthony et al.: Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. III (1997)
    Saudi Arabia
     
    • Mintaqat Makkah
      • Red Sea
        • Jiddah (Jeddah)
    		[Can.Min.(1985) 23, 233-240]
    UK
     
    • England
      • Cornwall
        • St Ives District
    		[Golley & Williams, 1995 - "Cornish Mineral Reference Manual" 1]
    • Wales
      • Isle of Anglesey (Gwynedd; Anglesey)
    USA
     
    • Florida
      • Monroe Co.
    		www.geol.vt.edu/research/gssrs/gssrs2001/abstracts/dunkle.pdf.
    • North Carolina
      • Carteret Co.
        • Beaufort
    		CanMin 41:659-669
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