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Blossite

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Formula:
α-Cu
 
2
(V
 
2
O
 
7
)
System:OrthorhombicColour:Black
Name:
For Dr. F. Donald Bloss, American mineralogist, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.


Dimorphous with Ziesite

Classification of Blossite

IMA status:Approved
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/A.20-20
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.FA.05

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
F : Polyphosphates, Polyarsenates, [4]-Polyvanadates
A : Polyphosphates, etc., without OH and H2O; dimers of corner-sharing RO4 tetrahedra.
Dana 8th edition ID:38.5.6.1

38 : ANHYDROUS NORMAL PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, AND VANADATES
5 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:21.1.7

21 : Vanadates (and vanadates with arsenate or phosphate)
1 : Vanadates of the alkalis and Cu
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Type Occurrence of Blossite

Type Locality:Izalco Volcano, Sonsonate Department, El Salvador
General Appearance of Type Material:Equant anhedral crystals, to 150 µm, typically intergrown with other fumarolic copper vanadates
Place of Conservation of Type Material:National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA (No. 164270)
Geological Setting of type material:Sublimates from the outer zone of a fumarole in the crater of a basaltic composite volcano, probably formed between 100 °C and 200 °C
Associated Minerals at type locality:
ZiesiteStoiberiteMcbirneyiteFingerite

Physical Properties of Blossite

Lustre:Metallic
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Black
Streak:Red-brown
Density (measured):3.95 - 3.97 g/cm3
Density (calculated):4.051 g/cm3
Comment:On synthetic material

Crystallography of Blossite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mm2 - Pyramidal
Space Group:Fdd2
Cell Parameters:a = 20.676(6) Å, b = 8.392(3) Å, c = 6.446(2) Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 2.464 : 1 : 0.768
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,118.46 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:8
Morphology:Equant crysyals
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
3.260 (100)
3.080 (100)
3.220 (80)
2.483 (80)
2.102 (70)
2.096 (70)
1.712 (70)
Comments:Recorded on synthetic α-Cu^2[V^2O^7]; ICDD 26-566

Optical Data of Blossite

Type:Biaxial
RI values: n = 2.05
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.000

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Very High
Type:Anisotropic
Anisotropism:Moderate; grey to creamy grey-brown
Bireflectance:Weak to moderate; in shades of cream-white
Reflectivity:
481 nmR1=14.6%R2= 15.3%
547 nmR1=15.4%R2= 16.6%
591 nmR1=14.8%R2= 16.7%
644 nmR1=14.5%R2= 15.7%


Graph shows reflectance levels at different wavelengths (in nm). Peak reflectance is 16.7%.
R1 shown in black, R2 shown in red
Colour in reflected light:White
Internal Reflections:Red-brown

Chemical Properties of Blossite

Formula:
α-Cu
 
2
(V
 
2
O
 
7
)
Essential elements:Cu, O, V
All elements listed in formula:Cu, O, V
Analytical Data:Electron microprobe analysis of type material
V2O5  (53.28)
CuO   (46.49)

sum    99.77 wt.-%
Empirical Formula:
Cu
2+
2
[V
5+
2
O
 
7
]

Relationship of Blossite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.FA.10Ziesite
β-Cu
 
2
(V
 
2
O
 
7
)
8.FA.15Chervetite
Pb
 
2
(V
 
2
O
 
7
)
8.FA.15UM1999-17:O:PbV
Pb
 
4
(VO
 
4
)
 
2
O
8.FA.20Pyrocoproite
(K,Na)
 
2
Mg(P
 
2
O
 
7
)
8.FA.20Pyrophosphite
K
 
2
Ca(P
 
2
O
 
7
)
8.FA.25Petewilliamsite
(Ni,Co)
 
30
(As
 
2
O
 
7
)
 
15
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
21.1.1Metamunirite
NaVO
 
3
21.1.2Munirite
NaVO
 
3
 · 1.9H
 
2
O
21.1.3Barnesite
(Na,Ca)V
 
6
O
 
16
 · 3H
 
2
O
21.1.4Bannermanite
(Na,K)
 
0.7
V
4+
0.7
V
5+
5.3
O
 
15
21.1.5Howardevansite
NaCuFe
 
2
(VO
 
4
)
 
3
21.1.6Huemulite
Na
 
4
Mg(V
 
10
O
 
28
) · 24H
 
2
O
21.1.8Ziesite
β-Cu
 
2
(V
 
2
O
 
7
)
21.1.9Stoiberite
Cu
 
5
(VO
 
4
)
 
2
O
 
2
21.1.10Mcbirneyite
Cu
 
3
(VO
 
4
)
 
2
21.1.11Fingerite
Cu
 
11
(VO
 
4
)
 
6
O
 
2
21.1.12Volborthite
Cu
 
3
(V
 
2
O
 
7
)(OH)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
21.1.13Tangeite
CaCu(VO
 
4
)(OH)
21.1.14Vésigniéite
BaCu
 
3
(VO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
2
21.1.15Lyonsite
Cu
 
3
Fe
 
4
(VO
 
4
)
 
6

Other Names for Blossite

Synonyms:
IMA1986-002
Other Languages:
German:Blossit
Russian:Блоссит
Spanish:Blossita

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 Blossite

Reference List:

- +
Robinson, P. D., Hughes, J. M. and Malinconico, M. L. (1987): Blossite, α-Cu^2[V^2O^7], a new fumarolic sublimate from Izalco volcano, El Salvador. American Mineralogist 72, 397-400.

Calvo, C. and Faggiani, R. (1975): α cupric divanadate. Acta Crystallographica 31, 603-605.

Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 68.

Internet Links for Blossite

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

    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.
    El Salvador
     
    • Sonsonate Department
    		American Mineralogist (1987) 72, 397-400; HB3 (1997)
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