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Wattersite

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Big Photo

Clear Creek claim (Clear Creek Mine), Picacho Peak, New Idria District, Diablo Range, San Benito Co., California, USA
© 2011, JGW

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Formula:
(Hg
+
2
)
 
2
Hg
2+
 
(CrO
 
4
)O
 
2
System:MonoclinicColour:Dark red-brown to black
Hardness:4½
Name:
Named after Lu Watters (1911-1989), mineral collector and jazz trumpeter.
This page provides mineralogical data about Wattersite.

Classification of Wattersite

IMA status:Approved 1987
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/F.02-03
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.FB.15

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
F : Chromates
B : With additional O,V, S, Cl
Dana 7th edition ID:35.4.1.1
Dana 8th edition ID:35.4.2.1

35 : ANHYDROUS CHROMATES
4 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.14.11

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
14 : Oxides of Cr
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Type Occurrence of Wattersite

Type Locality:Clear Creek claim (Clear Creek Mine), Picacho Peak, New Idria District, Diablo Range, San Benito Co., California, USA
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Smithsonian 165271

Occurrences of Wattersite

Geological Setting:Altered serpentinite.

Physical Properties of Wattersite

Lustre:Sub-Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Dark red-brown to black
Streak:Dark brick-red
Hardness (Mohs):4½
Tenacity:Brittle
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (calculated):8.91 g/cm3

Crystallography of Wattersite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:B2/b {B1 1 2/b} {C2/c} {C1 2/c 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 11.274(2) Å, b = 11.669(2) Å, c = 6.603(1) Å
β = 98.19(2)°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.966 : 1 : 0.566
Unit Cell Volume:V 859.81 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:4
Morphology:Prismatic, aggregates, massive
Twinning:About [001], contact twins on {100}

Optical Data of Wattersite

Type:Biaxial
RI values: nα = 2.440 - 2.520 nγ = 2.700 - 2.860
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.260 - 0.340

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Strong; putple, dark blue, bottle-green, bottle-blue, turquoise-blue, dull greenish-blue
Dispersion:r > v strong
Colour in reflected light:light greenish white, to lilac-gray
Internal Reflections:bright deep red

Chemical Properties of Wattersite

Formula:
(Hg
+
2
)
 
2
Hg
2+
 
(CrO
 
4
)O
 
2
Essential elements:Cr, Hg, O
All elements listed in formula:Cr, Hg, O

Relationship of Wattersite to other Species

Common Associates:
MercuryCinnabar
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
7.FB.05Phoenicochroite
Pb
 
2
(CrO
 
4
)O
7.FB.10Santanaite
Pb
 
11
(CrO
 
4
)O
 
12
7.FB.20Deanesmithite
(Hg
+
2
)Hg
2+
3
(CrO
 
4
)S
 
2
O
7.FB.25Edoylerite
Hg
2+
3
(CrO
 
4
)S
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
7.14.1Eskolaite
Cr
 
2
O
 
3
7.14.2Bracewellite
CrO(OH)
7.14.3Grimaldiite
CrO(OH)
7.14.4Guyanaite
CrO(OH)
7.14.5Yimengite
K(Cr,Ti,Fe,Mg)
 
12
O
 
19
7.14.6Mathiasite
K(Ti,Cr,Fe,Mg,Zr)
 
21
O
 
38
7.14.7Mcconnellite
CuCrO
 
2
7.14.8Redledgeite
Ba
 
x
([Cr,Fe,V]
3+
2x
Ti
 
8-2x
)O
 
16
7.14.9Hawthorneite
Ba(MgTi
 
3
Cr
 
4
Fe
 
4
)O
 
19
7.14.10Zincochromite
ZnCr
 
2
O
 
4
7.14.12Chromite
Fe(Cr,Al,Fe)
 
2
O
 
4
7.14.13Magnesiochromite
Mg(Cr,Al,Fe)
 
2
O
 
4
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping):

- +
35.4.1.1Santanaite
Pb
 
11
(CrO
 
4
)O
 
12

Other Names for Wattersite

Synonyms:
IMA1987-030
Other Languages:
German:Wattersit
Russian:Уоттерсит
Spanish:Wattersita

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 Wattersite

Reference List:

- +
Mineralogical Record (1991): 22: 269-272.

Canadian Mineralogist (1995): 33: 41-46.

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

Internet Links for Wattersite

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

    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.
    USA
     
    • California
      • San Benito Co.
        • Diablo Range
          • New Idria District
            • Picacho Peak
    		Mineralogical Record: 36(4): 337-363.; Mineralogical Record (1993): 24: 471-475.
      • San Mateo Co.
        • Emerald Lake Hills
    		Dunning, G.E. et al. (2005): The Clear Creek mine (San Benito County, California): a unique mercury locality. The Mineralogical Record, 36(4), 337-363.
          • Upper Emerald Lake
    		Erd, R. (1990).
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