Mitscherlichite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Mitscherlichite
Eilhard Mitscherlich
Formula:
K2CuCl4 · 2H2O
Colour:
Greenish-blue; colourless in transmitted light
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
2½
Specific Gravity:
2.418
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Name:
For German crystallographer and chemist Eilhard Mitscherlich (1794-1863), Professor of Chemistry in the University of Berlin, Germany, who discovered the phenomena of isomorphism and polymorphism, and who first prepared the compound.
This page provides mineralogical data about Mitscherlichite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2729
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2729:4
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
95d3fbdf-20af-4fea-a065-a83347469605
IMA Classification of Mitscherlichite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
First published:
1925
Classification of Mitscherlichite
3.CJ.15
3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
J : With MX6 complexes; M = Fe, Mn, Cu
3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
J : With MX6 complexes; M = Fe, Mn, Cu
11.3.2.1
11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
3 : AmBX4·xH2O
11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
3 : AmBX4·xH2O
8.2.12
8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
2 : Halides of Cu
8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
2 : Halides of Cu
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mits | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Mitscherlichite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Greenish-blue; colourless in transmitted light
Hardness:
2½ on Mohs scale
Density:
2.418 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.41 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Mitscherlichite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.637 nε = 1.615
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.022
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Moderate
Pleochroism:
Visible
Comments:
O = sky-blue; E = grass-green.
Chemistry of Mitscherlichite
Mindat Formula:
K2CuCl4 · 2H2O
Crystallography of Mitscherlichite
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Class (H-M):
4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) - Ditetragonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P42/mnm
Setting:
P42/mnm
Cell Parameters:
a = 7.477(13) Å, c = 7.935(19) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.061
Unit Cell V:
443.61 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Morphology:
Crystals pyramidal {011}, or short prismatic [001].
Twinning:
On {011} (artificial material).
Comment:
probable, synthetic
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0010516 | Mitscherlichite | Chrobak L (1934) Quantitative spectrometric studies of ammonium and of potassium cupric chloride dihydrate (NH4)2CuCl4*2H2O and K2CuCl4*2H2O Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 88 35-47 |  | 1934 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
| 0017964 | Mitscherlichite | Hendricks S, Dickinson R (1927) The Crystal Structure of ammonium, potassium and rubidium cupric chloride dihydrates _cod_database_code 1011065 Journal of the American Chemical Society 49 2149-2162 | 1927 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 2.635 Å | (100) |
| 2.711 Å | (95) |
| 5.42 Å | (70) |
| 3.164 Å | (50) |
| 3.072 Å | (25) |
| 1.977 Å | (25) |
| 1.5814 Å | (25) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 45b : [Other oxidized fumarolic minerals] | |
| 47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals] | |
| 47g : [Halogen-bearing surface weathering minerals] |
Type Occurrence of Mitscherlichite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Minute crystals on a small stalactite of salts.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
University of Florence, Florence, Italy, 225/l.
The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1928,239.
The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1928,239.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Secondary product of the fumarolic activity.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Reference:
Zambonini, F., Carobbi, G. (1925) Sulla presenza, tra i prodotti dell'attuale attività del Vesuvio, del tetraclorocupriato potassico diidrato, K2CuCl4·2H2O. Annali del R. Osservatorio Vesuviano: 2: 7-9.
Other Language Names for Mitscherlichite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 3.CJ.05 | Chlormanganokalite | K4[MnCl6] |
| 3.CJ.05 | Rinneite | K3Na[FeCl6] |
| 3.CJ.05 | Saltonseaite | K3NaMnCl6 |
| 3.CJ.10 | Erythrosiderite | K2[Fe3+Cl5(H2O)] |
| 3.CJ.10 | Kremersite | (NH4,K)2[Fe3+Cl5(H2O)] |
| 3.CJ.20 | Douglasite | K2[Fe2+Cl4(OH2)2] |
| 3.CJ.25 | Redikortsevite | (NH4)MgCl3 · 6H2O |
| 3.CJ.30 | Zirklerite | (Fe,Mg,Ca)9Al4Cl18(OH)12 · 14H2O (?) |
| 3.CJ.30 | Kalithallite | K3Tl3+Cl6 · 2H2O |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Mitscherlichite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2729.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Mitscherlichite
Reference List:
Localities for Mitscherlichite
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
France | |
| |
Iran | |
| |
Italy (TL) | |
| |
Russia | |
| Pekov, Igor V., Zubkova, Natalia V., Yapaskurt, Vasiliy O., Lykova, Inna S., Belakovskiy, Dmitry I., Vigasina, Marina F., Sidorov, Evgeny G., Britvin, Sergey N., Yu. Pushcharovsky, Dmitry (2015) New zinc and potassium chlorides from fumaroles of the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia: mineral data and crystal chemistry. I. Mellizinkalite, K3Zn2Cl7. European Journal of Mineralogy, 27 (2) 247-253 doi:10.1127/ejm/2015/0027-2430 |
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Vesuvius fumaroles, Mount Vesuvius, Somma-Vesuvius Complex, Naples, Campania, Italy