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Ferricopiapite

Big Photo

Gilt Edge Mine (Rattlesnake Jack; Dakota Maid; Ruby Ridge; Gilt Edge Glory Hole; Oro-Fina; Anchor Hill Mines 0460810072), Galena, Galena District, Lawrence Co., South Dakota, USA
© 2008, JGW

Formula:
Fe
 
5
(SO
 
4
)
 
6
O(OH)·20H
 
2
O
System:TriclinicColour:Yellow, yellow-orange
Hardness:2½ - 3
Name:In allusion to its composition as the ferric iron dominant member of the copiapite group.


Copiapite Group.

Difficult to distinguish from copiapite or other members of the copiapite group.

Classification of Ferricopiapite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/0.0-90
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:7.DB.35

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations; insular octahedra and finite units
Dana 8th edition ID:31.10.5.4

31 : HYDRATED SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
10 : Miscellaneous
Hey's CIM Ref.:25.10.12

25 : Sulphates
10 : Sulphates of Fe alone
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Type Occurrence of Ferricopiapite

Type Locality:Atacama Region, Chile
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC 80516
Year of Discovery:1938

Occurrences of Ferricopiapite

Geological Setting:Oxidation zone of pyrite deposits in arid environments.

Physical Properties of Ferricopiapite

Colour:Yellow, yellow-orange
Hardness (Mohs):2½ - 3
Cleavage:Perfect
Perfect on {010}
Density (measured):2.14 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.14 g/cm3

Crystallography of Ferricopiapite

Crystal System:Triclinic
Class (H-M):1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:P1
Cell Parameters:a = 7.394(5) Å, b = 18.36(2) Å, c = 7.324(8) Å
α = 93.8(1)°, β = 102.2(1)°, γ = 98.9(1)°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.403 : 1 : 0.399
Unit Cell Volume:V 955.05 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:1
Morphology:Pseudo orthorhombic plates, scaly, granular aggregates.

Optical Data of Ferricopiapite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.496 - 1.530 nβ = 1.531 - 1.550 nγ = 1.579 - 1.592
2V:Measured: 69° to 80°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.083

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Low
Dispersion:relatively strong r > v
Pleochroism:Visible
Comments:Shades of yellow

Chemical Properties of Ferricopiapite

Formula:
Fe
 
5
(SO
 
4
)
 
6
O(OH)·20H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Fe, H, O, S
All elements listed in formula:Fe, H, O, S
Empirical Formula:
Fe
3+
5
(SO
 
4
)
 
6
O(OH)·20H
 
2
O

Relationship of Ferricopiapite to other Species

Member of Group:
Copiapite Group:
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
7.DB.05Aubertite
CuAl[Cl|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 14H
 
2
O
7.DB.05Magnesioaubertite
(Mg,Cu)Al[Cl|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 14H
 
2
O
7.DB.05Svyazhinite
(Mg,Mn
2+
 
,Ca)(Al,Fe
3+
 
)[F|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 14H
 
2
O
7.DB.10Khademite
Al[F|SO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
7.DB.10Rostite
Al[OH|SO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
7.DB.15Jurbanite
Al[OH|SO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
7.DB.20Minasragrite
(V
4+
 
O)[SO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
7.DB.20Orthominasragrite
(V
4+
 
O)[SO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
7.DB.20Anorthominasragrite
(V
4+
 
O)[SO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
7.DB.25Bobjonesite
(V
4+
 
O)[SO
 
4
] · 3H
 
2
O
7.DB.30Amarantite
Fe
3+
2
[O|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 7H
 
2
O
7.DB.30Hohmannite
Fe
3+
2
[O|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 8H
 
2
O
7.DB.30Metahohmannite
Fe
3+
2
[O|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 4H
 
2
O
7.DB.35Aluminocopiapite
Al
 
2/3
Fe
3+
4
[OH|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
]
 
2
 · 20H
 
2
O
7.DB.35Calciocopiapite
CaFe
 
4
(SO
 
4
)
 
6
(OH)
 
2
·10H
 
2
O
7.DB.35Copiapite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
4
[OH|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
]
 
2
 · 20H
 
2
O
7.DB.35Cuprocopiapite
CuFe
 
4
(SO
 
4
)
 
6
(OH)
 
2
·20H
 
2
O
7.DB.35Magnesiocopiapite
MgFe
3+
4
[OH|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
]
 
2
 · 20H
 
2
O
7.DB.35Zincocopiapite
ZnFe
3+
4
[OH|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
]
 
2
 · 18H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
25.10.1Szomolnokite
FeSO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
25.10.2Rozenite
FeSO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
25.10.3Siderotil
FeSO
 
4
·5H
 
2
O
25.10.4Ferrohexahydrite
FeSO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
25.10.5Melanterite
FeSO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
25.10.6Rhomboclase
(H
 
5
O
 
2
)Fe
3+
 
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
·2H
 
2
O
25.10.7Lausenite
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·6H
 
2
O
25.10.8Kornelite
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·7H
 
2
O
25.10.9Coquimbite
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·9H
 
2
O
25.10.10Paracoquimbite
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·9H
 
2
O
25.10.11Quenstedtite
Fe
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
3
·10H
 
2
O
25.10.13Metahohmannite
Fe
3+
2
[O|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 4H
 
2
O
25.10.14Hohmannite
Fe
3+
2
[O|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 8H
 
2
O
25.10.15Butlerite
Fe
3+
 
[OH|SO
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
25.10.16Parabutlerite
Fe
3+
 
[OH|SO
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
25.10.17Amarantite
Fe
3+
2
[O|(SO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 7H
 
2
O
25.10.18Fibroferrite
Fe
3+
 
[OH|SO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
25.10.19Hydroniumjarosite
(H
 
3
O)Fe
3+
3
(SO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
25.10.20Römerite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·14H
 
2
O
25.10.21Bílinite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
4
·22H
 
2
O
25.10.22Copiapite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
4
[OH|(SO
 
4
)
 
3
]
 
2
 · 20H
 
2
O

Other Names for Ferricopiapite

Synonyms:
Ferrocopiapite
Other Languages:
German:Ferricopiapit
Russian:Феррикопиапит
Spanish:Ferricopiapita
Ferrocopiapita

Other Information

Other Information:Soluble in water.
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 Ferricopiapite

Reference List:Berry (1938) American Mineralogist: 23, pt 2(12): 3.

University of Toronto Stud., Geol. Series, no. 51 (1947): 21.

American Mineralogist (1939): 24: 182.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Seventh edition, Volume II: 623, 625.

Fanfani, L.A., A. Nunzi, P.F. Zanazzi & A.R. Zanzari (1973), The Copiapite problem; the crystal structure of ferrian Copiapite: American Mineralogist: 58: 314-322.

Canadian Mineralogist (1985): 23: 53.

Internet Links for Ferricopiapite

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

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