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Valentinite

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Djebel Nador, Constantine Province, Algeria
© Christian Rewitzer

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Formula:
Sb
 
2
O
 
3
System:OrthorhombicColour:Colourless, white, light ...
Hardness:2½ - 3
Name:Named after Basilius Valentinus (1394?), German chemist and alchemist, who discovered the properties of antimony.
This page provides mineralogical data about Valentinite.

Classification of Valentinite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/C.01-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.CB.55

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
C : Metal: Oxygen = 2: 3,3: 5, and similar
B : With medium-sized cations
Dana 8th edition ID:4.3.11.1

4 : SIMPLE OXIDES
3 : A2X3
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.13.4

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
13 : Oxides of As, Sb and Bi
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Type Occurrence of Valentinite

Type Locality:Les Chalanches Mine, Allemont, Isère, Rhône-Alpes, France
Year of Discovery:1845

Physical Properties of Valentinite

Lustre:Adamantine, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:Colourless, white, light gray, light yellow
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):2½ - 3
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Perfect
on {110}, imperfect on {010}
Density (measured):5.76 g/cm3
Density (calculated):5.76 g/cm3

Crystallography of Valentinite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:Pccn {P21/c 21/c 2/n}
Cell Parameters:a = 4.91Å, b = 12.46Å, c = 5.42Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.394 : 1 : 0.435
Unit Cell Volume:V 331.59 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Commonly prismatic either [001] or [100]; also tabular {010}. Prism faces often ronded by striations parallel to [001], and the brachydomes are striated [100]. Fan-shaped or stellate aggregates, in bundles and druses and as aggregates of thin plates. Massive, with lamellar, columnar, or granular structure.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
Image Loading

Radiation - Copper Kα
Data Set:
Horizontal Axis: ° to ° Vertical Axis: % Source Data: Filtered Data:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
4.571 (18)
3.494 (25)
3.174 (20)
3.142 (100)
3.118 (75)
2.650 (14)
1.8046 (20)

Optical Data of Valentinite

Type:Biaxial (-)
RI values: nα = 2.180 nβ = 2.350 nγ = 2.350
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.170

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

Chemical Properties of Valentinite

Formula:
Sb
 
2
O
 
3
Essential elements:O, Sb
All elements listed in formula:O, Sb
Common Impurities:As

Relationship of Valentinite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.CB.05Brizziite
NaSb
5+
 
O
 
3
4.CB.05Corundum
Al
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Ecandrewsite
(Zn,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)TiO
 
3
4.CB.05Eskolaite
Cr
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Geikielite
MgTiO
 
3
4.CB.05Hematite
Fe
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Ilmenite
Fe
2+
 
TiO
 
3
4.CB.05Karelianite
V
3+
2
O
 
3
4.CB.05Melanostibite
Mn
2+
 
(Sb
5+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)O
 
3
4.CB.05Pyrophanite
Mn
2+
 
TiO
 
3
4.CB.05Akimotoite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)SiO
 
3
4.CB.05Auroantimonate
AuSbO
 
3
4.CB.05Romanite
(◻,Pb,Ca)UFe
2+
2
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
6
Ti
 
12
O
 
38
4.CB.05UM1998-11-O-AuHSb
Au
+
2
Sb
3+
 
O
 
2
(OH)
4.CB.05Tistarite
Ti
3+
2
O
 
3
4.CB.10Avicennite
Tl
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.10Bixbyite
(Mn
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.15Armalcolite
(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)Ti
 
2
O
 
5
4.CB.15Pseudobrookite
Fe
 
2
TiO
 
5
4.CB.15Mongshanite
(Mg,Cr,Fe
2+
 
)
 
2
(Ti,Zr)
 
5
O
 
12
4.CB.20Zincohögbomite-2N2S
[(Zn,Al,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
(Al,Fe
3+
 
,Ti)
 
8
O
 
15
(OH)]
 
2
4.CB.20Zincohögbomite-2N6S
[(Zn,Mg)
 
7
(Al,Fe
3+
 
,Ti)
 
16
O
 
31
(OH)]
 
2
4.CB.20Magnesiohögbomite-6N6S
[(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
(Al,Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
8
O
 
15
(OH)]
 
6
4.CB.20Magnesiohögbomite-2N3S
[(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Zn)
 
4
(Al,Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
10
O
 
19
(OH)]
 
2
4.CB.20Magnesiohögbomite-2N2S
[(Mg,Fe
2+
 
)
 
3
[Al
 
7
(Ti,Fe
3+
 
)]O
 
15
(OH)]
 
2
4.CB.20Ferrohögbomite-6N12S
[(Fe
2+
 
,Mg,Zn)
 
5
(Al,Ti,Fe
3+
 
)
 
12
O
 
23
(OH)]
 
6
4.CB.25Pseudorutile
Fe
 
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
4.CB.25Kleberite
FeTi
 
6
O
 
11
(OH)
 
5
4.CB.30Berdesinskiite
V
3+
2
TiO
 
5
4.CB.30Oxyvanite
V
3+
2
V
4+
 
O
 
5
4.CB.35Olkhonskite
(Cr,V)
 
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
4.CB.35Schreyerite
V
3+
2
Ti
 
3
O
 
9
4.CB.40Kamiokite
Fe
 
2
Mo
 
3
O
 
8
4.CB.40Nolanite
(V
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
,Fe
2+
 
,Ti)
 
10
O
 
14
(OH)
 
2
4.CB.40Rinmanite
Zn
 
2
Sb
 
2
Mg
 
2
Fe
 
4
O
 
14
(OH)
 
2
4.CB.45Claudetite
As
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.45Stibioclaudetite
AsSbO
 
3
4.CB.50Arsenolite
As
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.50Sénarmontite
Sb
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.60Bismite
Bi
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.65Sphaerobismoite
Bi
 
2
O
 
3
4.CB.70Sillénite
Bi
 
12
SiO
 
20
4.CB.75Kyzylkumite
V
3+
2
TiO
 
6
4.CB.80Tietaiyangite
Fe
3+
4
Fe
2+
 
TiO
 
9
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
7.13.1Arsenolite
As
 
2
O
 
3
7.13.2Claudetite
As
 
2
O
 
3
7.13.3Sénarmontite
Sb
 
2
O
 
3
7.13.5Cervantite
Sb
3+
 
Sb
5+
 
O
 
4
7.13.6Stibiconite
7.13.7Bahianite
Al
 
5
Sb
 
3
O
 
14
(OH)
 
2
7.13.8Cualstibite-1M
(Cu,Al)
 
3
(OH)
 
6
[Sb
5+
 
(OH)
 
6
]
7.13.9Bismutostibiconite
Bi(Sb
5+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
7
7.13.107.13.11Stibivanite
Sb
 
2
VO
 
5
7.13.12Bismite
Bi
 
2
O
 
3
7.13.13Sillénite
Bi
 
12
SiO
 
20

Other Names for Valentinite

Synonyms:
Antimonious acidAntimonophylliteAntimony BloomAntimony trioxideExitèlite
White Antimony
Other Languages:
French:Antimoine oxydé
Chaux d'antimoine natif
Exitèle
German:Valentinit
Antimonblüte
Antimonige Säure
Antimonophyllit
Antimon-Phyllit
Antimonphyllit
Antimonspat
Antimonspath
Weißspießglanzerz
Weißspießglaserz
Italian:Antimonio bianco
Latin:Antimonium spatosum album
Russian:Валентинит
Simplified Chinese:锑华
白锑矿
Spanish:Antimonio blanco
Antimonophyllita
Valentinita
Swedish:Antimonblomma

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 Valentinite

Reference List:

- +
Klaproth, M.H. (1802): Chemische Untersuchung des Weiß-Spießglanzerzes, Beiträge zur chemischen Kenntniss der Mineralkörper, Dritter Band, Rottmann Berlin, 183-186

Haidinger (1845), Handb. best. Mineral.: 506.

Brezina (1886), Ann Mus. Wien: 1: 145.

Buerger and Hendricks (1937), Zs. Kr.: 98: 1.

Schaller (1937), American Mineralogist: 22: 651.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 547-550.

Acta Crystallographica: B30: 458-461.

Internet Links for Valentinite

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

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