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

Birchite

Big Photo

Broken Hill, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia

Formula:
Cd
 
2
Cu
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)·5H
 
2
O
System:OrthorhombicColour:pale blue
Hardness:3½ - 4
Name:
For William David "Bill" Birch, AM (1949-). Bill obtained his PhD in the Department of Geology at the University of Melbourne in 1976 and commenced work at the National Museum of Victoria (now Museum Victoria), as Curator with responsibilities for developing the mineral, rock and meteorite collections, a position he still holds (in 2009). He has co-described thirty new mineral species and has over 150 publications to his credit. These range from popular articles and booklets accessible to members of the general public with an interest in the geosciences, to major papers involving international mineralogical collaboration.

He has had active involvment in a number of societies such as: the Mineralogical Society of Victoria (founding President), the Gemmological Association of Australia (as present patron), the Geological Society of Australia, the Royal Society of Victoria (he is a member of Council), and the International Mineralogical Association, Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (Australian representative 1984-1996 and Secretary 1996-2008).

In June 2006 he was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for "service to geological science, particularly through the study and documentation of the geology of Victoria, and to a range of professional
organisations."



One of several rare Cd minerals occurring at Broken Hill, NSW, Australia.

Classification of Birchite

IMA status:Approved 2006
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:8.DB.70

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4< 1:1
Dana 8th edition ID:43.3.3.

43 : COMPOUND PHOSPHATES, ETC.
3 : Hydrated Normal Compound Phosphates, etc·
mindat.org URL:http://www.mindat.org/min-35925.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

Type Occurrence of Birchite

Type Locality:Broken Hill, Yancowinna Co., New South Wales, Australia
General Appearance of Type Material:sprays and aggregates to crystals to 0.75mm. Individual crystals are bladed to prismatic and acicular, with a max. length of 0.3mm and width of 0.05mm.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:Department of Mineralogy of the South Australian Museum, Adelaide, South Australia, australia (registration number G30968)
Associated Minerals at type locality:
SampleiteQuartzPyromorphitePlumbogummiteLibethenite
HinsdaliteGarnet GroupGalenaCovelliteChalcopyrite
CerussiteApatite-(CaF)Anglesite

Physical Properties of Birchite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Transparent, Translucent
Colour:pale blue
Hardness (Mohs):3½ - 4
Hardness Data:Measured
Tenacity:Brittle
Cleavage:None Observed
Fracture:Conchoidal
Density (measured):3.61(4) g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.647 g/cm3

Crystallography of Birchite

Crystal System:Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:Pnma {P21/n 21/m 21/a}
Cell Parameters:a = 10.489(6) Å, b = 20.901(7) Å, c = 6.155(5) Å
Ratio:a:b:c = 0.502 : 1 : 0.294
Unit Cell Volume:V 1349.6 ų
Z:4
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
10.451 (100)
5.146(30)
4.223 (40)
3.484 (40)
2.902 (70)
2.719 (30)
2.652 (30)
1.919 (80)

Optical Data of Birchite

Type:Biaxial (+)
RI values: nα = 1.624(4) nβ = 1.636(5) nγ = 1.669(4)
2V:Calculated: 63°
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.045

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

Chemical Properties of Birchite

Formula:
Cd
 
2
Cu
 
2
(PO
 
4
)
 
2
(SO
 
4
)·5H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Cd, Cu, H, O, P, S
All elements listed in formula:Cd, Cu, H, O, P, S

Relationship of Birchite to other Species

Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
8.DB.05Diadochite
Fe
3+
2
(PO
 
4
)(SO
 
4
)(OH)·5H
 
2
O
8.DB.05Pitticite
[Fe, SO
 
4
, AsO
 
4
, H
 
2
O] ?
8.DB.05Destinezite
Fe
3+
2
[OH|SO
 
4
|PO
 
4
]·6H
 
2
O
8.DB.10Vashegyite
Al
 
11
[(OH)
 
6
|(PO
 
4
)
 
9
] · 38H
 
2
O
8.DB.15Schoonerite
ZnMn
2+
 
Fe
2+
2
Fe
3+
 
(PO
 
4
)
 
3
(OH)
 
2
 · 9H
 
2
O
8.DB.20Sinkankasite
H
 
2
Mn
2+
 
Al[OH|(PO
 
4
)
 
2
] · 6H
 
2
O
8.DB.25Mitryaevaite
Al
 
6
(PO
 
4
)[(P,S)O
 
3
(OH,O)]
 
2
F
 
2
(OH)
 
2
(H
 
2
O)
 
8
· 6.5H
 
2
O
8.DB.30Sanjuanite
Al
 
2
[OH|SO
 
4
|PO
 
4
] · 9H
 
2
O
8.DB.35Sarmientite
Fe
3+
2
[OH|SO
 
4
|AsO
 
4
] · 5H
 
2
O
8.DB.40Bukovskýite
Fe
3+
2
[OH|SO
 
4
|AsO
 
4
] · 7H
 
2
O
8.DB.45Zýkaite
Fe
3+
4
[OH|SO
 
4
|(AsO
 
4
)
 
3
] · 15H
 
2
O
8.DB.50Giniite
Fe
2+
 
Fe
3+
4
[(OH)
 
5
|(PO
 
4
)
 
3
] · 2H
 
2
O
8.DB.55Sasaite
(Al,Fe
3+
 
)
 
14
[(OH)
 
7
|SO
 
4
|(PO
 
4
)
 
11
] · 83H
 
2
O
8.DB.60Mcauslanite
HFe
2+
3
Al
 
2
[F|(PO
 
4
)
 
4
] · 18H
 
2
O
8.DB.65Goldquarryite
CuCd
 
2
Al
 
3
(PO
 
4
)
 
4
F
 
2
(H
 
2
O)
 
10
(H
 
2
O,F)
 
2
8.DB.75Braithwaiteite
NaCu
 
5
(TiSb)
 
2
O
 
2
(AsO
 
4
)[AsO
 
3
(OH)]
 
2
 ·8H
 
2
O

Other Names for Birchite

Synonyms:
IMA2006-048
Other Languages:
German:Birchit
Spanish:Birchita

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 Birchite

Reference List:P. Elliott, J. Brugger, A. Pring, M. L. Cole, A. C. Willis and U. Kolitsch (2008): Birchite, a new mineral from Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia: description and structure refinement. Am. Mineral. 93, 910-917(2008)

Internet Links for Birchite

Search Engines:
  • Look for Birchite on Google
  • Look for Birchite images on Google
    • External Links:
  • Look for Birchite on Webmineral
  • Look for Birchite on Athena Mineralogy
  • Look for Birchite on Wikipedia
  • Look for Birchite on Mineralien Atlas
  • Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project
  • American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database
  • Search for Birchite in the Natural History Museum (London) online catalogue
    • Mineral Dealers:
  • DAKOTA MATRIX offers Cabinet and Rare Species from Worldwide Localities.
  • Wilensky Fine Minerals
  • rare and unusual minerals mainly crystallized
  • Buy fine minerals and gemstones from Pala International
  • Rare and Unusual minerals at Mineralogical Research Company
  • Buy from David K Joyce minerals
  • Find Birchite on www.crystalclassics.co.uk
  • Buy RARE Minerals from Rocks of Africa
  • Fabre Minerals - search for Birchite specimens
  • High-end worldwide specimens & outstanding customer service
  • Wendel Minerals - Auktion & Shop
  • Buy Minerals and Crystals from Crystalarium.com
    • Jobs:
  • Mining & Geology Jobs

    • Page Sponsor

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

    Localities for Birchite

    Show Locality List (1 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: 26th Nov 2009 20:57:10