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Wiserite

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Gonzen Mine, Sargans, Alvier Group, St Gallen, Switzerland
© Sandro Maggia

Formula:
(Mn,Mg)
 
14
[Cl|(OH)
 
8
|(Si,Mg)(O,OH)
 
4
|(B
 
2
O
 
5
)
 
4
]
System:TetragonalColour:Yellowish white, ...
Hardness:2½
Name:Named by Haidinger in 1845 for David Friedrich Wiser (1802-1878), Swiss mineralogical chemist, who had discovered the mineral in 1842.
This page provides mineralogical data about Wiserite.

Classification of Wiserite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:5/H.03-10
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:6.BA.20

6 : BORATES
B : Diborates
A : Neso-diborates with double triangles B2(O,OH)5; 2(2D); 2(2D) + OH, etc.
Dana 8th edition ID:27.1.10.1

27 : COMPOUND BORATES
1 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:9.7.5

9 : Borates
7 : Borates of Mn
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Type Occurrence of Wiserite

Type Locality:Gonzen Mine, Sargans, Alvier Group, St Gallen, Switzerland
General Appearance of Type Material:Fibrous masses, intimately intergrown with sussexite
Year of Discovery:1842
Geological Setting of type material:In veins of rhodochrosite-hausmannite ore
Associated Minerals at type locality:
SussexiteRhodochrositePyrochroiteHausmanniteFluorite
Baryte

Physical Properties of Wiserite

Lustre:Silky
Colour:Yellowish white, pink-brown, light red
Hardness (Mohs):2½
Density (calculated):3.42 g/cm3

Crystallography of Wiserite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Cell Parameters:a = 20.19Å, c = 2.81Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.139
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,145.46 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:Fibrous, asbestiform masses

Optical Data of Wiserite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.751 - 1.760 nε = 1.700 - 1.717
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.051

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

Chemical Properties of Wiserite

Formula:
(Mn,Mg)
 
14
[Cl|(OH)
 
8
|(Si,Mg)(O,OH)
 
4
|(B
 
2
O
 
5
)
 
4
]
Essential elements:B, Cl, H, Mn, O, Si
All elements listed in formula:B, Cl, H, Mg, Mn, O, Si
Common Impurities:Fe,Ca,H2O

Relationship of Wiserite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
6.BA.05Suanite
Mg
 
2
[B
 
2
O
 
5
]
6.BA.10Clinokurchatovite
Ca(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)[B
 
2
O
 
5
]
6.BA.10Kurchatovite
Ca(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)[B
 
2
O
 
5
]
6.BA.15Sussexite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
[(OH)(B
 
2
O
 
4
(OH))]
6.BA.15Szaibélyite
Mg
 
2
[(OH)(B
 
2
O
 
4
(OH))]
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
9.7.1Pinakiolite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
Mn
3+
 
[O
 
2
|BO
 
3
]
9.7.2Orthopinakiolite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
Mn
3+
 
[O
 
2
|BO
 
3
]
9.7.3Jimboite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
3
[BO
 
3
]
 
2
9.7.4Sussexite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
[(OH)(B
 
2
O
 
4
(OH))]
9.7.6Kurchatovite
Ca(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)[B
 
2
O
 
5
]
9.7.7Clinokurchatovite
Ca(Mg,Fe
2+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)[B
 
2
O
 
5
]
9.7.8Takéuchiite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
)
 
2
(Mn
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)[O
 
2
|BO
 
3
]
9.7.9Blatterite
(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)
 
2
(Mn
3+
 
,Sb
3+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)[O
 
2
|BO
 
3
]
9.7.10Tusionite
Mn
2+
 
Sn
4+
 
[BO
 
3
]
 
2

Other Names for Wiserite

Other Languages:
German:Wiserit
Russian:Визерит
Spanish:Wiserita

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 Wiserite

Reference List:Haidinger, Wm. (1845a) Handbuch der bestimmenden Mineralogie. Vienna: 493.

Epprecht (1946) Beitr. Geol. Schweiz., Geotecn. Ser. Lief.: 24.

Epprecht (1946) Schweizerische mineralogische und petrographische Mitteilungen, Frauenfeld: 26: 19.

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: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 245.

American Mineralogist (1960): 45: 258.

Dunn, P. J., Francis, C. A., Ramik, R. A., Nelen, J. A. and Innes, J. (1989): Wiserite, an occurrence at the Kombat mine in Namibia, and new data. American Mineralogist: 74: 1374-1376.

European Journal of Mineralogy (1997): 9: 228.

Stalder, H. A., Wagner, A., Graeser, S. and Stuker, P. (1998): "Mineralienlexikon der Schweiz", Verlag Wepf & Co. (Basel), p. 430

Grew, E.S., and Anovitz, L.M. (1996) BORON: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, second edition, as revised (2002).

Internet Links for Wiserite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
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  • Wiserite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Wiserite

    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.
    (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.
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Kanto Region
        • Gunma Prefecture
          • Kiryuu City
        • Saitama Prefecture
          • Chichibu City
            • Urayama
    		K. Nishikubo, T. Yamada, A. Harada, M. Takizawa, K. Tange, Y. Kosuge, R. Miyawaki, and S. Matsubara (2005) "Rambergite from the Hirogawara mine, Urayama, Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan"
        • Tochigi Prefecture
    		Fukuoka, M. (1981) Memoirs of the Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Series D, Geology, 24, #4, 207-252.
          • Kanuma
      • Kinki region
        • Shiga prefecture
          • Tsuchiyama
    		Am Min 74: pp 1374-1376
    Namibia
     
    • Otjozondjupa Region
      • Grootfontein District
        • Kombat
    		Mineralogical Record: 22: 423; American Mineralogist: 74: 1374-1376.
    Switzerland
     
    • St Gallen
      • Alvier Group
        • Sargans
    		Haidinger, W. (1845) : Handb. bestimm. Min.: 493; 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: 245.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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