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Herbertsmithite

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San Francisco Mine (Beatrix Mine), Caracoles, Sierra Gorda District, Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile
© Elmar Lackner

Show Herbertsmithite Photos (35)
Formula:
Cu
 
3
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
System:TrigonalColour:light green, blue-green, ...
Hardness:3 - 3½
Name:Honouring Dr. G. F. Herbert Smith (1872-1953) of the Natural History Museum, London, England, who discovered the mineral paratacamite.
Isostructural with:Gillardite


A polymorph of (metastable) kapellasite.
Closely related to paratacamite.

This mineral gained attention in March 2007 when it was reported that it has very specific and unusual physical properties that make it behave as a new type of matter (see references).

Classification of Herbertsmithite

IMA status:Approved 2003
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/D.01-57
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.DA.10c

3 : HALIDES
D : Oxyhalides, hydroxyhalides and related double halides
A : With Cu, etc., without Pb
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Type Occurrence of Herbertsmithite

Type Locality:Los Tres Presidentes Mine, Caracoles, Sierra Gorda District, Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile
General Appearance of Type Material:Rhombohedrons to 1.5 mm across.
Year of Discovery:1972

Occurrences of Herbertsmithite

Geological Setting:Copper mineralizations in syenitic porphyries and granites, hosted by triassic dolomites (Anarak, Iran)

Physical Properties of Herbertsmithite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent
Colour:light green, blue-green, emerald green
Streak:light green
Hardness (Mohs):3 - 3½
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:Distinct/Good
on {10_11}
Density (measured):3.85 - 3.95 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.76 g/cm3

Crystallography of Herbertsmithite

Crystal System:Trigonal
Class (H-M):3m (3 2/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral
Space Group:R3m {R3 2/m}
Cell Parameters:a = 6.834Å, c = 14.075Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 2.06
Unit Cell Volume:V 569.28 ų
Z:3
Morphology:Platy, pseudohexagonal crystals to 0.5 mm (Iran); rhombohedrons and pseudo-octahedra to 1.5 mm (Chile).
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
5.466 (55)
4.702 (14)
2.899 (11)
2.764 (100)
2.730 (13)
2.266 (36)
1.820 (13)
1.709 (18)
Comments:XRD pattern quite similar to those for atacamite, clinoatacamite and paratacamite, but herbertsmithite is readily distinguished from these by infrared spectroscopy and SXRD

Chemical Properties of Herbertsmithite

Formula:
Cu
 
3
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
All elements listed in formula:Cl, Cu, H, O, Zn

Relationship of Herbertsmithite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
3.DA.05Melanothallite
Cu
 
2
[O|Cl
 
2
]
3.DA.10aAtacamite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10bBotallackite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10bClinoatacamite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10aHibbingite
Fe
2+
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10aKempite
Mn
2+
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10cParatacamite
Cu
 
3
(Cu,Zn)[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
3.DA.10bBelloite
Cu[OH|Cl]
3.DA.10cKapellasite
Cu
 
3
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
3.DA.10cGillardite
Cu
 
3
NiCl
 
2
(OH)
 
6
3.DA.10cHaydeeite
Cu
 
3
Mg(OH)
 
6
Cl
 
2
3.DA.10dIMA2009-042
Cu
 
2
Cl(OH)
 
3
3.DA.15Claringbullite
Cu
 
4
[(OH)
 
7
|Cl] · nH
 
2
O
3.DA.20Simonkolleite
Zn
 
5
[(OH)
 
8
|Cl
 
2
] · H
 
2
O
3.DA.25Buttgenbachite
Cu
 
19
[(OH)
 
32
|(NO
 
3
)
 
2
|Cl
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
3.DA.25Connellite
Cu
 
19
[(OH)
 
32
|SO
 
4
|Cl
 
4
] · 3H
 
2
O
3.DA.30Abhurite
Sn
 
21
Cl
 
16
(OH)
 
14
O
 
6
3.DA.35Ponomarevite
K
 
4
Cu
 
4
[O|Cl
 
10
]
3.DA.40Anthonyite
Cu(OH,Cl)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
3.DA.40Calumetite
Cu(OH,Cl)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
3.DA.45Khaidarkanite
Na
 
0.34
Cu
 
4
Al
 
3
(OH)
 
14
F
 
3
·2H
 
2
O
3.DA.50Bobkingite
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
8
|Cl
 
2
] · 2H
 
2
O
3.DA.55Avdoninite
K
 
2
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
4
|Cl
 
8
] · H
 
2
O
3.DA.60Droninoite
Ni
 
3
Fe
3+
 
Cl(OH)
 
8
·2H
 
2
O

Other Names for Herbertsmithite

Synonyms:
AnarakiteIMA2003-041
Other Languages:
German:Anarakit
Italian:Herbertsmithite
Spanish:Anarakita

Other Information

Fluorescence in UV light:none
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 Herbertsmithite

Reference List:Braithwaite, R.S.W., Mereiter, K., Paar, W.H. and Clark, A.M. (2004) Herbertsmithite, Cu3Zn(OH)6Cl2, a new species, and the definition of paratacamite. Mineralogical Magazine, 68, 527-539.

Weiß, S. (2004): Lapis: 29(12): 38-39.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19325954.200

Helton, J.S., Matan, K., Shores, M.P., Nytko, E.A., Bartlett, B.M., Yoshida, Y., Takano, Y., Suslov, A., Qiu, Y., Chung, J.-H., Nocera, D.G., and Lee, Y.S. (2007) Spin Dynamics of the Spin-1/2 Kagomé Lattice Antiferromagnet ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2. Physical Review Letters 98, 107204. http://arxiv.org/pdf/cond-mat/0610539v4]

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    Localities for Herbertsmithite

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