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Picropharmacolite

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Shaft 371, Schlema-Hartenstein District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany
© Thomas Witzke

Show Picropharmacolite Photos (77)
Formula:
Ca
 
4
Mg[(HAsO
 
4
)
 
2
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 11H
 
2
O
System:TriclinicColour:White; colourless in ...
Hardness:1 - 2
Name:Named in 1819 in allusion to it's composition, containing magnesia, and its similarity to Pharmacolite.


Usually found as small to microscopic pearly white botryoids with a radiating foliated structure internally, and less commonly as silky fibrous aggregates or minute acicular crystals.

Classification of Picropharmacolite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:7/C.24-90
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.CH.15

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H2O
H : With large and medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O < 1:1
Dana 7th edition ID:39.2.4.1
Dana 8th edition ID:39.2.4.1

39 : HYDRATED ACID PHOSPHATES,ARSENATES AND VANADATES
2 : (AB)5[HXO4]2[XO4]2.xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:20.2.21

20 : Arsenates (also arsenates with phosphate, but without other anions)
2 : Arsenates of Be, Mg, Ca or Ba
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Type Occurrence of Picropharmacolite

Type Locality:Ore dumps, Richelsdorf Smelter, Süss, Richelsdorf District, North Hesse, Hesse, Germany
Year of Discovery:1819

Occurrences of Picropharmacolite

Geological Setting:A secondary mineral found in the oxidized zones of metal ore deposits rich in arsenic.

Physical Properties of Picropharmacolite

Lustre:Silky, Pearly
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent, Opaque
Colour:White; colourless in transmitted light.
Streak:White
Hardness (Mohs):1 - 2
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Fragile
Cleavage:Perfect
On {100} and {010}, perfect.
Fracture:Micaceous
Density (measured):2.58 g/cm3
Density (calculated):2.6 g/cm3
Comment:Measured value on Joplin, Missouri, material.

Crystallography of Picropharmacolite

Crystal System:Triclinic
Class (H-M):1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:P1
Cell Parameters:a = 13.547Å, b = 13.5Å, c = 6.71Å
α = 99.85°, β = 96.41°, γ = 91.6°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.003 : 1 : 0.497
Unit Cell Volume:V 1,200.12 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:2
Morphology:Crystals rare, rectangular prisms elongated on [001]; more typically spherical to botryoidal with a radiating foliated internal structure, or as fibrous aggregates or minute acicular crystals.
Twinning:None reported.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
13.50(100)
9.20(60)
4.84(40)
4.44(40)
3.78(60)
3.18(80)
3.066(70)

Optical Data of Picropharmacolite

Type:Biaxial
RI values: nα = 1.631 nβ = 1.632 nγ = 1.640
2V:Measured: 40° , Calculated: 40°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.009

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:Moderate
Dispersion:r < v strong

Chemical Properties of Picropharmacolite

Formula:
Ca
 
4
Mg[(HAsO
 
4
)
 
2
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 11H
 
2
O
Essential elements:As, Ca, H, Mg, O
All elements listed in formula:As, Ca, H, Mg, O

Relationship of Picropharmacolite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.CH.05Walentaite
H(Ca,Mn
2+
 
,Fe
2+
 
)Fe
3+
3
[(AsO
 
4
,PO
 
4
)]
 
4
 · 7H
 
2
O
8.CH.10Anapaite
Ca
 
2
Fe
2+
 
[PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 4H
 
2
O
8.CH.20Dittmarite
NH
 
4
MgPO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
8.CH.20Niahite
(NH
 
4
)(Mn
2+
 
,Mg)[PO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
8.CH.25Francoanellite
K
 
3
Al
 
5
[(HPO
 
4
)
 
3
|PO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 12H
 
2
O
8.CH.25Taranakite
(K,NH
 
4
)Al
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
OH·9H
 
2
O
8.CH.30Schertelite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
MgH
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
8.CH.35Hannayite
(NH
 
4
)
 
2
Mg
 
3
H
 
4
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
·8H
 
2
O
8.CH.40Struvite
NH
 
4
MgPO
 
4
·6H
 
2
O
8.CH.40Struvite-(K)
KMg(PO
 
4
)·6H
 
2
O
8.CH.40Hazenite
KNaMg
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
·14H
 
2
O
8.CH.45Rimkorolgite
(Mg,Mn)
 
5
(Ba,Sr,Ca)(PO
 
4
)
 
4
·8H
 
2
O
8.CH.50Bakhchisaraitsevite
Na
 
2
Mg
 
5
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
8.CH.55Fahleite
Zn
 
5
CaFe
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
6
·14H
 
2
O
8.CH.55Smolyaninovite
8.CH.55Smolianinovite
(Co,Ni,Mg,Ca)
 
3
(Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
4
·11H
 
2
O
8.CH.60Barahonaite-(Al)
(Ca,Cu,Na,Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
12
Al
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
8
(OH,Cl)
 
x
·nH
 
2
O
8.CH.60Barahonaite-(Fe)
(Ca,Cu,Na,Fe
3+
 
,Al)
 
12
Fe
3+
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
8
(OH,Cl)
 
x
·nH
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
20.2.1Bearsite
Be
 
2
[OH|AsO
 
4
] · 4H
 
2
O
20.2.2Brassite
MgHAsO
 
4
·4H
 
2
O
20.2.3Rösslerite
MgHAsO
 
4
·7H
 
2
O
20.2.4Hörnesite
Mg
 
3
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·8H
 
2
O
20.2.5Weilite
CaHAsO
 
4
20.2.6Johnbaumite
Ca
 
5
[OH|(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
]
20.2.7Haidingerite
Ca[HAsO
 
4
] · H
 
2
O
20.2.8Pharmacolite
CaHAsO
 
4
·2H
 
2
O
20.2.9Sainfeldite
Ca
 
5
(AsO
 
3
OH)
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
20.2.10Vladimirite
Ca
 
5
[(HAsO
 
4
)
 
2
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 5H
 
2
O
20.2.11Guérinite
Ca
 
5
[(HAsO
 
4
)
 
2
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 9H
 
2
O
20.2.12Ferrarisite
Ca
 
5
[(HAsO
 
4
)
 
2
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 9H
 
2
O
20.2.13Rauenthalite
Ca
 
3
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 10H
 
2
O
20.2.14Phaunouxite
Ca
 
3
[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 11H
 
2
O
20.2.15Mcnearite
NaCa
 
5
[(HAsO
 
4
)
 
4
|AsO
 
4
] · 4H
 
2
O
20.2.16Bergslagite
CaBe[OH|AsO
 
4
]
20.2.17Adelite
CaMg[AsO
 
4
](OH)
20.2.18Talmessite
Ca
 
2
Mg[AsO
 
4
]
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
20.2.19Irhtemite
Ca
 
4
Mg[(HAsO
 
4
)
 
2
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 4H
 
2
O
20.2.20Camgasite
CaMg[OH|AsO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
20.2.22Bariopharmacosiderite
BaFe
3+
4
[(OH)
 
5
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
] · 5H
 
2
O

Other Names for Picropharmacolite

Other Languages:
German:Pikropharmakolith
Picropharmacolit
Pikropharmakolit
Russian:Пикрофармаколит
Spanish:Picropharmacolita

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 Picropharmacolite

Reference List:Stromeyer (1819) Annalen der Physik, Halle, Leipzig: 61: 185.

Frenzel (1873) Jb. Min.: 786.

Genth (1890) American Journal of Science: 40: 204.

Larsen, E.S. (1921) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, First edition, USGS Bulletin 679: 120.

Palache, C., Berman, H., & Frondel, C. (1951), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana, Yale University 1837-1892, Volume II. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged, 1124 pp.: 740-741.

American Mineralogist (1981): 66: 385-391.

Gaines, Richard V., H. Catherine, W. Skinner, Eugene E. Foord, Brian Mason, Abraham Rosenzweig (1997), Dana's New Mineralogy : The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana: 741.

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