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Bismoclite

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Croft Gothal Mine, St Hilary, Mount's Bay District, Cornwall, England, UK
© Steve Rust

Show Bismoclite Photos (4)
Formula:
BiOCl
System:TetragonalColour:Cream-white, greyish, ...
Hardness:2 - 2½
Name:In allusion to its composition: a BISMuth OxyChLoride.


Matlockite Group.

Very plastic.

Classification of Bismoclite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/D.0-40
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.DC.25

3 : HALIDES
D : Oxyhalides, hydroxyhalides and related double halides
C : With Pb (As,Sb,Bi), without Cu
Dana 8th edition ID:10.2.1.2

10 : OXYHALIDES AND HYDROXYHALIDES
2 : A(O,OH)Xq
Hey's CIM Ref.:8.9.5

8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
9 : Halides of Sb and Bi
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Type Occurrence of Bismoclite

Type Locality:Jakkalswater (Jackal's Water; Noumas I pegmatite; Blesberg mine), Steinkopf, Namaqualand, Northern Cape Province, South Africa
Year of Discovery:1935
Geological Setting of type material:In an alluvial specimen, found near bismuth-bearing granite pegmatites
Associated Minerals at type locality:
Mica GroupBismutite

Occurrences of Bismoclite

Geological Setting:In granite pegmatites; in greisen

Physical Properties of Bismoclite

Lustre:Greasy, Silky, Pearly, Dull, Earthy
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:Cream-white, greyish, yellowish brown; colourless in thin section
Hardness (Mohs):2 - 2½
Tenacity:Elastic
Cleavage:Perfect
On {001}
Density (measured):7.36 g/cm3
Density (calculated):7.784 g/cm3

Crystallography of Bismoclite

Crystal System:Tetragonal
Class (H-M):4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:P4/nmm (P4/n 21/m 2/m)
Cell Parameters:a = 3.887Å, c = 7.354Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 1.892
Unit Cell Volume:V 111.11 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Crystals minute, scaly or thin rectangular, rarely with corners truncated at 45°; often columnar-fibrous, earthy, compact or massive.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.44 (100)
2.677 (95)
2.753 (75)
7.38 (40)
1.946 (35)
2.205 (30)
Comments:Recorded on synthetic material

Optical Data of Bismoclite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 2.150 nε = 1.910
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.240

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

Chemical Properties of Bismoclite

Formula:
BiOCl
Essential elements:Bi, Cl, O
All elements listed in formula:Bi, Cl, O
Analyical Data:Chemical analyses of material from Jakkalswater, South Africa (1) and from Goldfield, Nevada, USA (2), the latter recalculated to 100.00 wt.-% after deduction of quartz (34.81 wt.-%) and Fe2O3 (0.28 wt.-%)
            (1)      (2)

Fe2O3      (0.12)
Bi2O3     (88.49)  (88.53)
Cl        (13.00)  (12.51)
H2O+       (0.87)   (1.58)
H2O-                (0.20)
insol.     (0.77)
-O = Cl2   (2.93)   (2.82)

sum       100.32   100.00 wt.-%
Common Impurities:Fe,OH

Relationship of Bismoclite to other Species

Related to:
  • Matlockite Group
    • Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

    - +
    3.DC.05Laurionite
    PbClOH
    3.DC.05Paralaurionite
    PbClOH
    3.DC.10Fiedlerite
    Pb
     
    3
    		Cl
     
    4
    		F(OH)·H
     
    2
    		O
    3.DC.15Penfieldite
    Pb
     
    2
    		[OH|Cl
     
    3
    		]
    3.DC.20Laurelite
    Pb(F,Cl,OH)
     
    2
    3.DC.25Daubréeite
    BiO(OH,Cl)
    3.DC.25Matlockite
    PbFCl
    3.DC.25Rorisite
    CaFCl
    3.DC.25Zavaritskite
    BiOF
    3.DC.25Zhangpeishanite
    BaFCl
    3.DC.30Nadorite
    PbSb[O
     
    2
    		|Cl]
    3.DC.30Perite
    PbBi[O
     
    2
    		|Cl]
    3.DC.35Aravaipaite
    Pb
     
    3
    		[F
     
    3
    		|AlF
     
    6
    		] · H
     
    2
    		O
    3.DC.37Calcioaravaipaite
    PbCa
     
    2
    		[(F,OH)
     
    3
    		|AlF
     
    6
    		] · H
     
    2
    		O
    3.DC.40Thorikosite
    Pb
     
    3
    		[OH|(SbO
     
    3
    		,AsO
     
    3
    		)|Cl
     
    2
    		]
    3.DC.45Mereheadite
    Pb
     
    2
    		[O|OH|Cl]
    3.DC.50Blixite
    Pb
     
    2
    		[(O,OH)
     
    2
    		|Cl]
    3.DC.55Pinalite
    Pb
     
    3
    		WO
     
    3
    		Cl
     
    2
    3.DC.60Symesite
    Pb
     
    10
    		[O
     
    7
    		|SO
     
    4
    		|Cl
     
    4
    		] · H
     
    2
    		O
    3.DC.65Ecdemite
    Pb
     
    6
    		[As
     
    2
    		O
     
    7
    		|Cl
     
    4
    		]
    3.DC.65Heliophyllite
    Pb
     
    3
    		AsO
     
    4-n
    		Cl
     
    2n+1
    3.DC.70Mendipite
    Pb
     
    3
    		[O
     
    2
    		|Cl
     
    2
    		]
    3.DC.75Damaraite
    Pb
     
    3
    		[O
     
    2
    		|OH|Cl]
    3.DC.80Onoratoite
    Sb
     
    8
    		O
     
    11
    		Cl
     
    2
    3.DC.85Cotunnite
    PbCl
     
    2
    3.DC.90Pseudocotunnite
    K
     
    2
    		PbCl
     
    4
    3.DC.95Barstowite
    Pb
     
    4
    		[Cl
     
    6
    		|CO
     
    3
    		] · H
     
    2
    		O
    Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

    - +
    8.9.1Onoratoite
    Sb
     
    8
    		O
     
    11
    		Cl
     
    2
    8.9.2Kelyanite
    Hg
     
    36
    		Sb
     
    3
    		(Cl,Br)
     
    9
    		O
     
    28
    8.9.3Gananite
    BiF
     
    3
    8.9.4Zavaritskite
    BiOF
    8.9.6Daubréeite
    BiO(OH,Cl)
    8.9.7Perite
    PbBi[O
     
    2
    		|Cl]

    Other Names for Bismoclite

    Other Languages:
    German:Bismoclit
    Russian:Бисмоклит
    Spanish:Bismoclita

    Other Information

    Other Information:Totally soluble in acids. Re-precipitates upon considerable dilution.

    Very plastic.
    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 Bismoclite

    Reference List:Means (1916) American Journal of Science: 41: 125 (as Daubréeite ?).

    Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 66.

    Bannister (1935) Mineralogical Magazine: 24: 49.

    Mountain (1935) Mineralogical Magazine: 24: 59.

    American Mineralogist (1935), 20, 813.

    Mountain, E. D. (1937): Two new bismuth minerals from South Africa. Mineralogical Magazine 24, 59-64.

    Frondel, C. (1943) American Mineralogist: 28: 526.

    Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (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: 60-62.

    Keramidas, K. G., Voutsas, G. P. and Rentzepris, P. I. (1993): The crystal structure of BiOCl. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 205, 35-40.

    Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 61.

    Articles/Blogs about Bismoclite

    Internet Links for Bismoclite

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  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Bismoclite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Bismoclite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
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    Localities for Bismoclite

    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
      • Blaxland Co.
        • Mount Allen
    		NSW Geological Survey - Nymagee Mineral Deposit Data Sheets DW Suppel and LB Gilligan (1993)
      • Bourke Co.
        • Ardlethan
    		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: 1093.
      • Gipps Co.
        • Ardlethan
    		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: 62; Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 61
      • Gough Co.
        • Kingsgate
    		Sharpe, J.L., & Williams P.A. (2004) - Secondary bismuth and molybdenum minerals from Kingsgate, New England district of New South Wales.- Australian Journal of Mineralogy, vol.10, n°1.
    • South Australia
      • Eyre peninsula
        • Middleback Range
          • Iron Knob
    		Pring, A., Francis, G. & Birch, W. D. (1992): Nissonite, namibite, and other additions to the mineral suite from Iron Monarch, South Australia. Australian Mineral. 6, 31-39; [MinRec 29:164]
    • Victoria
      • Ballarat
        • Pittong
    		Birch, W.D., Grey, I.E., Mills, S.J., Bougerol, C., Pring, A., Ansermet, S. (2007): Pittongite, a new secondary tungstate from Pittong, Victoria, Australia. Canadian Mineralogist, 45, 857-864.
    • Western Australia
    		Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 61
    Bolivia
     
    • Potosí Department
      • Bustillos Province
        • Llallagua
    		Mineralogical Record: 32: 474.
      • Nor Chichas Province
        • Atocha-Quechisla District
    		[MinRec 32:481]
    Salomon Rivas y Federico Ahlfeld (1998) Los Minerales de Bolivia y sus Parajes. (Santa Cruz)
    Brazil
     
    • Northeast Region
      • Rio Grande do Norte
        • Borborema mineral province
          • Equador
    		Re-entry of old data
    Chile
     
    • Antofagasta Region
      • Antofagasta Province
        • Santa Catalina
          • Guanaco (Huanaco)
    		M. Dini collection
    Germany
     
    • Baden-Württemberg
      • Black Forest
        • Schenkenzell
          • Wittichen
            • Böckelsbach valley
    		K. Walenta: "Die Mineralien des Schwarzwaldes", Weise (Munich), 1992
            • Burgfelsen
    		No reference listed
            • Heubach Valley
    		No reference listed
    • North Rhine-Westphalia
      • Siegerland
        • Gosenbach
    		Wittern: "Mineralfundorte in Deutschland", 2001
    Greece
     
    • Attikí (Attica; Attika) Prefecture
      • Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium) District
        • Lavrion District Mines
          • Sounion area
            • Sounion Mines
    		Lapis, 24, 7/8 (1999)
    Gelaude, Piet, van Kalmthout, Piet and Rewitzer, Christian, Laurion: The Minerals in the Ancient Slags
    Italy
     
    • Sardinia
      • Olbia-Tempio Pausania Province
        • La Maddalena
          • La Maddalena Island
    		Billows, E. (1941): I minerali della Sardegna ed i loro giacimenti. Sardegna Mineraria, Istituto per gli studi Sardi, Regia Università di Cagliari.
    • Tuscany
      • Livorno Province
        • Elba Island
          • Rio Marina
            • Rio Mine (Rio Marina Mine)
    		G. Marinelli, 1959 - I minerali di bismuto del cantiere Falcacci a Rio Marina (Isola d'Elba). - Atti Soc. Tosc. Sc. Nat., Mem. Serie A, 66: 337-352.
    Japan
     
    • Honshu Island
      • Kanto region
        • Tochigi Prefecture
          • Ashio
    		Ii & Hori (1992) Koubutsu-Gakkai Kou'en-Youshi, 159.
    • Nansei Archipelago
      • Kagoshima Prefecture
        • Yakushima-cho
          • Yakushima Island
    		Hori Mineralogy, Tokyo
    Kazakhstan
     
    • Qaraghandy Oblysy (Karaganda Oblast')
      • Betpakdala Desert (Bet-Pak-Dal Desert)
    		P.M. Kartashov data
    Norway
     
    • Nordland
      • Salten
        • Sørfold
    		No reference listed
    • Telemark
      • Drangedal
        • Tørdal
    		Coming in Stein mag., identified by EDS-SEM,Roy Kristiansen
    Russia
     
    • Far-Eastern Region
      • Kamchatka Oblast'
    		Zelenski, M. & Bortnikova, S. (2005): Sublimate speciation at Mutnovsky volcano, Kamchatka. European Journal of Mineralogy, 17, 107-118.
      • Sakhalinskaya Oblast'
        • Maritime Province
          • Kuril Islands
            • Iturup Island
    		http://maurice.strahlen.org/kurilles/kurilles.htm
    South Africa
     
    • Northern Cape Province
      • Namaqualand
        • Steinkopf
    		Mineralogical Magazine (1935): 24: 59-62; 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: 61.
    Tajikistan
     
    • Viloyati Sogd (Viloyati Sughd; Viloyati Khodzhent; Viloyati Leninabad)
      • Adrasman
        • Karamazar Mts
    		Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 61
    UK
     
    • England
      • Cornwall
        • Mount's Bay District
          • St Hilary
    		[UKJMM 17 (1996) p.17]
    • Scotland
      • Dumfries & Galloway (Kirkcudbrightshire)
        • Dalbeattie
    		Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 61
    USA
     
    • Nevada
      • Esmeralda Co.
        • Goldfield District
    		NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
    NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
    Rocks & Minerals, Nov. 1999
    NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
    NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
      • Nye Co.
        • Manhattan District
    		NBMG Spec. Pub. 31 Minerals of Nevada
        • Round Mountain District
    		[MinRec 22:181]
    • Utah
      • Juab Co.
        • East Tintic Mts
          • Tintic District
    		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: 62.
    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: 62.
    Mineral and/or Locality
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