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Russellite

Big Photo

Cínovec / Zinnwald (Cinvald), Erzgebirge; Krusné Hory Mts, Saxony & Ústí Region (Bohemia; Böhmen; Boehmen), Germany & Czech Republic
© Petr Fuchs

Show Russellite Photos (13)
Formula:
(BiO)
 
2
[WO
 
4
]
System:OrthorhombicColour:Yellow-green, yellow
Hardness:3½
Name:
Named after Sir Arthur Russell (1878-1964), British mineralogist.


An alteration product of primary bismuth minerals and wolframite.

The tungstate analogue of koechlinite.

Classification of Russellite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:6/G.01-70
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.DE.15

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
E : With medium-sized cations; with various polyhedra
Dana 8th edition ID:48.2.1.1

48 : ANHYDROUS MOLYBDATES AND TUNGSTATES
2 : A2XO4
Hey's CIM Ref.:27.4.10

27 : Sulphites, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
4 : Tungstates
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Type Occurrence of Russellite

Type Locality:Castle-an-Dinas Mine, St Columb Major, Belowda Area, St Austell District, Cornwall, England, UK
Year of Discovery:1938

Physical Properties of Russellite

Colour:Yellow-green, yellow
Hardness (Mohs):3½
Density (measured):7.33 - 7.37 g/cm3
Density (calculated):7.4 g/cm3

Crystallography of Russellite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Cell Parameters:a = 5.43Å, b = 16.43Å, c = 5.45Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.33 : 1 : 0.332
Unit Cell Volume:V 486.22 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Optical Data of Russellite

Type:Biaxial (+)
Dispersion:relatively strong

Chemical Properties of Russellite

Formula:
(BiO)
 
2
[WO
 
4
]
Idealised Formula:
Bi
 
2
WO
 
6
Essential elements:Bi, O, W
All elements listed in formula:Bi, O, W

Relationship of Russellite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.DE.05Downeyite
SeO
 
2
4.DE.10Koragoite
(Mn
2+
 
,Fe
3+
 
)
 
3
(Nb,Ta,Ti)
 
2
(Nb,Mn)
 
2
(W,Ta)
 
2
O
 
20
4.DE.15Koechlinite
(BiO)
 
2
[MoO
 
4
]
4.DE.15Tungstibite
Sb
 
2
WO
 
6
4.DE.20Tellurite
TeO
 
2
4.DE.25Paratellurite
TeO
 
2
4.DE.30Bismutotantalite
Bi(Ta,Nb)O
 
4
4.DE.30Bismutocolumbite
Bi(Nb,Ta)O
 
4
4.DE.30Cervantite
Sb
3+
 
Sb
5+
 
O
 
4
4.DE.30Stibiotantalite
Sb(Ta,Nb)O
 
4
4.DE.30Stibiocolumbite
Sb(Nb,Ta)O
 
4
4.DE.30Clinocervantite
Sb
3+
 
Sb
5+
 
O
 
4
4.DE.35Baddeleyite
ZrO
 
2
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
27.4.1Cuprotungstite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
2
|WO
 
4
]
27.4.2Scheelite
Ca[WO
 
4
]
27.4.4Anthoinite
WAlO
 
3
(OH)
 
3
 (?)
27.4.5Mpororoite
AlWO
 
3
(OH)
 
3
·2H
 
2
O
27.4.6Yttrotungstite-(Y)
YW
 
2
O
 
6
(OH)
 
3
27.4.7Yttrotungstite-(Ce)
(Ce,Nd,Y)W
 
2
O
 
6
(OH)
 
3
27.4.8Stolzite
Pb[WO
 
4
]
27.4.9Raspite
PbWO
 
4
27.4.11Pinalite
Pb
 
3
WO
 
5
Cl
 
2
27.4.12Uranotungstite
(Fe
2+
 
,Ba,Pb)(UO
 
2
)
 
2
[(OH)
 
4
|WO
 
4
] · 12H
 
2
O
27.4.13Hübnerite
MnWO
 
4
27.4.14Ferberite
FeWO
 
4
27.4.15Wolframite
(Fe
2+
 
)WO
 
4
 
 
to (Mn
2+
 
)WO
 
4
27.4.16Ferritungstite
(W,Fe
3+
 
)(O,OH)
 
3
27.4.17Phyllotungstite
Ca
 
x
[(W,Fe)(O,OH)
 
3
]·yH
 
2
O
27.4.18Qitianlingite
(Fe,Mn)
 
2
(Nb,Ta)
 
2
WO
 
10

Other Names for Russellite

Other Languages:
German:Russellit
Russian:Русселит
Spanish:Russellita

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 Russellite

Reference List:Hey, Bannister, and Russell (1938),
Mineralogical Magazine: 25: 41.

American Mineralogist (1938): 23: 121.

Palache, Charles, Harry Berman & Clifford Frondel (1944), The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837-1892, Volume I: Elements, Sulfides, Sulfosalts, Oxides. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York. 7th edition, revised and enlarged: 604-605.

Mineralogical Magazine (1992): 56: 399-409.

American Mineralogist (1993): 78: 454.

Internet Links for Russellite

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    Localities for Russellite

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