Mindat Logo
Home Page Log In Message Board The Mindat Directory
Register Search Pages Chat Now! (2 online) Mindat Auctions

Metarossite

Big Photo

San Miguel Co., Colorado, USA
© Brent Thorne

Show Metarossite Photos (12)
Formula:
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 2H
 
2
O
System:TriclinicColour:Very light yellow to ...
Hardness:1 - 2
Name:In allusion to its difference = "Meta" and relationship to Rossite.


A secondary mineral resulting from the dehydration of Rossite.

Classification of Metarossite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/G.07-60
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.HD.10

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
H : V[5,6] Vanadates
D : Inovanadates
Dana 8th edition ID:47.1.1.2

47 : VANADIUM OXYSALTS
1 : Normal Anhydrous Vanadium Oxysalts
Hey's CIM Ref.:21.2.1

21 : Vanadates (and vanadates with arsenate or phosphate)
2 : Vanadates of Mg, Ca, Sr or Ba
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-2682.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Metarossite

Type Locality:O'Neill's Claim, Dolores River, Bull Pen Canyon, Slick Rock District, San Miguel Co., Colorado, USA
General Appearance of Type Material:Veinlets, alteration rims on Rossite lumps.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA: #95331A, R5707A.
Year of Discovery:1927
Geological Setting of type material:Carnotite-bearing sandstone
Associated Minerals at type locality:
RossiteGypsumCarnotite

Physical Properties of Metarossite

Lustre:Pearly, Dull
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:Very light yellow to pale grenish yellow; colourless to pale yellow in transmitted light
Hardness (Mohs):1 - 2
Tenacity:Fragile
Density (calculated):2.8 g/cm3

Crystallography of Metarossite

Crystal System:Triclinic
Class (H-M):1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:P1
Cell Parameters:a = 6.215Å, b = 7.065Å, c = 7.769Å
α = 92.97°, β = 96.65°, γ = 105.78°
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.88 : 1 : 1.1
Unit Cell Volume:V 324.82 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Crystals platy; flaky; massive. As alteration rims on and complete replacements of Rossite.
Twinning:On {101} as the twin plane.

Optical Data of Metarossite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.840 nβ = 1.850 nγ = 1.850
2V:Measured: 70°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.010

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

Chemical Properties of Metarossite

Formula:
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 2H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Ca, H, O, V
All elements listed in formula:Ca, H, O, V

Relationship of Metarossite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.HD.05Rossite
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 4H
 
2
O
4.HD.15Munirite
NaVO
 
3
·2H
 
2
O
4.HD.20Metamunirite
NaVO
 
3
4.HD.25Dickthomssenite
Mg(V
 
2
O
 
6
)·7H
 
2
O
4.HD.30Ansermetite
Mn
2+
 
[V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 4H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
21.2.2Rossite
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 4H
 
2
O
21.2.3Metahewettite
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
|V
 
4
O
 
10
] · 3H
 
2
O
21.2.4Hewettite
Ca[V
 
2
O
 
6
|V
 
4
O
 
10
] · 9H
 
2
O
21.2.5Pintadoite
Ca
 
2
V
 
2
O
 
7
·9H
 
2
O
21.2.6Hendersonite
(Ca,Sr)
 
x
(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
)
 
12
O
 
32
·12H
 
2
O (x about 2.6)
21.2.7Fernandinite
(Ca,K)[(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)
 
4
O
 
10
]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
21.2.8Pascoite
Ca
 
3
[V
 
10
O
 
28
] · 17H
 
2
O
21.2.9Sherwoodite
Ca
 
9
Al
 
2
V
 
4
V
 
24
O
 
80
·56H
 
2
O
21.2.10Melanovanadite
Ca
 
2
V
 
4
V
 
6
O
 
25
·nH
 
2
O
21.2.11Grantsite
(Na
 
2
,Ca)[V
 
2
O
 
6
|(V
5+
 
,V
4+
 
)
 
4
O
 
10
] · 4H
 
2
O
21.2.12Hummerite
K
 
2
Mg
 
2
[V
 
10
O
 
28
] · 16H
 
2
O
21.2.13Metadelrioite
CaSr[(OH)
 
2
|V
 
2
O
 
6
]
21.2.14Delrioite
CaSr[(OH)
 
2
|V
 
2
O
 
6
] · 3H
 
2
O
21.2.15Straczekite
(Ca,K,Ba)V
 
8
O
 
20
·3H
 
2
O
21.2.16Gamagarite
Ba
 
2
(Fe
3+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)[OH|(VO
 
4
)
 
2
]

Other Names for Metarossite

Other Languages:
German:Metarossit
Russian:Метароссит
Spanish:Metarossita

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 Metarossite

Reference List:Foshag, W. F. and Hess, F. L. (1928): Rossite and metarossite; two new vanadates from Colorado. Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum, 72, 1.

American Mineralogist (1928): 13: 160 (abstract).

Weeks, A.D. and M.E. Thompson (1954) Identification and occurrence of uranium and vanadium minerals from the Colorado Plateaus. U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin
1009-B, 56–57.

Kelsey, C.H. and W.H. Barnes (1960) The crystal structure of metarossite. Canadian Mineralogist (1960): 6: 448-466, 697.

Internet Links for Metarossite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Metarossite on Google
  • Look for Metarossite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Metarossite on Webmineral
  • Look for Metarossite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Metarossite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Metarossite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Metarossite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
  • Metarossite details from Handbook of Mineralogy (PDF)
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals
  • Wendel Minerals - Auktion & Shop
  • Top quality minerals from Kristalle of California
  • Buy minerals from Mineralium.com
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Metarossite specimens
  • Fine Minerals from Dan Weinrich Minerals
  • Buy Fine Minerals from mineralsweb.com
  • Find Metarossite on www.crystalclassics.co.uk
  • Buy from David K Joyce minerals
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • Edwards Minerals - Fine Specimens
  • SpiriferMinerals.com - high quality specimens
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

    Sponsorship:This page is currently not sponsored. Click here to sponsor this page.

    Localities for Metarossite

    Show Locality List (23 Items)
    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.
    Mineral and/or Locality
    Google
     
    www.mindat.org Web
    Copyright © Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau 1993-2009. Site Map. Locality, mineral & photograph data are the copyright of the individuals who submitted them.Further information contact the Site hosted & developed by Jolyon Ralph. Mindat.org is an online information resource dedicated to providing free mineralogical information to all. Mindat relies on the contributions of hundreds of members and supporters. If you would like to add information to improve the quality of our database, then click here to register. Current server date and time: 2nd Nov 2009 18:51:38