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Birnessite

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Poudrette quarry (Demix quarry; Uni-Mix quarry; Desourdy quarry), Mont Saint-Hilaire, Rouville RCM, Montérégie, Québec, Canada
© 2005 DM

Show Birnessite Photos (10)
Formula:
(Na,Ca)
 
0.5
(Mn
4+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
4
 · 1.5H
 
2
O
System:MonoclinicColour:Black; dark brown in ...
Hardness:1½
Name:For the type locality at Birness, Scotland, UK.


Birnessite Group.

Classification of Birnessite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:4/F.11-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:4.FL.45

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
F : Hydroxides (without V or U)
L : Hydroxides with H2O +- (OH); sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
Dana 8th edition ID:7.5.3.1

7 : MULTIPLE OXIDES
5 : (AB)2X3
Hey's CIM Ref.:7.18.11

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
18 : Oxides of Mn
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Type Occurrence of Birnessite

Type Locality:Birness, Ellon, Buchan Grampian (Aberdeenshire), Scotland, UK

Occurrences of Birnessite

Geological Setting:A major manganese-bearing mineral of many soils; a common alteration product of manganese-rich mineral deposits; a component of bacterially-precipitated manganese oxides; an important constituent of "desert varnish" and marine manganese nodules.

Physical Properties of Birnessite

Lustre:Dull
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Opaque
Colour:Black; dark brown in transmitted light
Hardness (Mohs):1½
Density (measured):3 g/cm3
Density (calculated):3.4 g/cm3

Crystallography of Birnessite

Crystal System:Monoclinic
Class (H-M):2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:B2/m {B1 1 2/m} {C2/m} {C1 2/m 1}
Cell Parameters:a = 5.175Å, b = 2.85Å, c = 7.337Å
β = 103.18°
Ratio:a:b:c = 1.816 : 1 : 2.574
Unit Cell Volume:V 105.36 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:1
Morphology:Rarely in platelets, to 50 µm; commonly extremely finely crystalline, spherulitic, cellular.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
7.08 (100)
2.333 (43)
1.711 (29)
3.547 (28)
2.031 (24)
2.468 (17)
Comments:Recorded on a marine nodule from the Caribbean Sea; all reflections are typically very broad.

Optical Data of Birnessite

Type:Uniaxial (-)
RI values: nω = 1.730 nε = 1.690
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.040

Chart shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness) and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:High
Dispersion:weak to moderate
Comments:The mineral is pseudo-uniaxial (-); an identification by optical properties is impossible.

Chemical Properties of Birnessite

Formula:
(Na,Ca)
 
0.5
(Mn
4+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)
 
2
O
 
4
 · 1.5H
 
2
O
Essential elements:H, Mn, Na, O
All elements listed in formula:Ca, H, Mn, Na, O
Analytical Data:Electron microprobe analysis of a marine nodule from the Caribbean Sea; total Mn calculated as MnO2, H2O content calculated from the mass balance
SiO2   (0.9)
MnO2  (75.8)
FeO    (0.55)
CoO    (0.14)
NiO    (0.80)
CuO    (0.33)
MgO    (6.2)
CaO    (0.39)
Na2O   (1.9)
K2O    (1.8)
Cl     (0.1)
H2O   (10.89)
S      (0.2)

sum   100.00 wt.-%
Common Impurities:Cl,Co,Cu,Fe,K,Ni,Mg,S,Si

Relationship of Birnessite to other Species

Member of Group:
Birnessite Group:
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
4.FL.05Woodallite
Mg
 
6
Cr
 
2
(OH)
 
16
Cl
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
4.FL.05Iowaite
Mg
 
4
Fe(OH)
 
8
OCl·4H
 
2
O
4.FL.05Jamborite
(Ni
2+
 
,Ni
3+
 
,Co,Fe)(OH)
 
2
(OH,S,H
 
2
O)
4.FL.05Meixnerite
Mg
 
6
Al
 
2
(OH)
 
18
·4H
 
2
O
4.FL.05Muskoxite
Mg
 
7
Fe
 
4
O
 
13
·10H
 
2
O
4.FL.05Fougèrite
(Fe
2+
 
,Mg)
 
6
Fe
3+
2
(OH)
 
18
 · 4H
 
2
O
4.FL.10Hydrocalumite
Ca
 
2
Al(OH)
 
7
·2H
 
2
O
4.FL.15Kuzelite
Ca
 
4
Al
 
2.4
(OH)
 
12.8
(SO
 
4
)·6H
 
2
O
4.FL.20Aurorite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ag,Ca)Mn
4+
3
O
 
7
 · 3H
 
2
O
4.FL.20Chalcophanite
(Zn,Fe,Mn)Mn
 
3
O
 
7
·3H
 
2
O
4.FL.20Ernienickelite
NiMn
 
3
O
 
7
·3H
 
2
O
4.FL.20Jianshuiite
(Mg,Mn)Mn
 
3
O
 
7
·3H
 
2
O
4.FL.25Woodruffite
Zn(Mn
4+
 
,Mn
3+
 
)
 
5
O
 
10
·3½H
 
2
O
4.FL.30Asbolane
(Ni,Co)
 
2-x
Mn
4+
 
(O,OH)
 
4
 · nH
 
2
O
4.FL.35Buserite
Na
 
4
Mn
 
14
O
 
27
 ·21H
 
2
O
4.FL.40Ranciéite
(Ca,Mn)Mn
 
4
O
 
9
·3H
 
2
O
4.FL.40Takanelite
(Mn,Ca)Mn
 
4
O
 
9
·H
 
2
O
4.FL.55Cianciulliite
Mn(Mg,Mn)
 
2
Zn
 
2
(OH)
 
10
·2-4H
 
2
O
4.FL.60Jensenite
Cu
 
3
[TeO
 
6
] · 2H
 
2
O
4.FL.65Leisingite
Cu(Mg,Cu,Fe,Zn)
 
2
[TeO
 
6
] · 6H
 
2
O
4.FL.70Akdalaite
4Al
 
2
O
 
3
 · H
 
2
O
4.FL.75Cafetite
(Ca,Mg)(Fe,Al)
 
2
Ti
 
4
O
 
12
·4H
 
2
O
4.FL.80Mourite
UMo
 
5
O
 
12
(OH)
 
10
4.FL.85Deloryite
Cu
 
4
(UO
 
2
)(MoO
 
4
)
 
2
(OH)
 
6
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
7.18.1Manganosite
MnO
7.18.2Hausmannite
MnMn
 
2
O
 
4
7.18.3Pyrolusite
MnO
 
2
7.18.4Ramsdellite
Mn
4+
 
O
 
2
7.18.5Akhtenskite
ε-Mn
4+
 
O
 
2
7.18.6Feitknechtite
Mn
3+
 
O(OH)
7.18.7Manganite
Mn
3+
 
O(OH)
7.18.8Groutite
Mn
3+
 
O(OH)
7.18.9Nsutite
(Mn
4+
 
,Mn
2+
 
)(O,OH)
 
2
7.18.10Pyrochroite
Mn(OH)
 
2
7.18.12Aurorite
(Mn
2+
 
,Ag,Ca)Mn
4+
3
O
 
7
 · 3H
 
2
O
7.18.13Cianciulliite
Mn(Mg,Mn)
 
2
Zn
 
2
(OH)
 
10
·2-4H
 
2
O

Other Names for Birnessite

Synonyms:
Manganous Manganite
Other Languages:
German:Birnessit
Japanese:バーネス鉱
Russian:Бернессит
Spanish:Birnessita

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 Birnessite

Reference List:Jones, L. H. P. and Milne, A. A. (1956): Birnessite, a new manganese oxide mineral from Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Mineralogical Magazine 31, 283-288. - American Mineralogist (1990), 75, 477-489 (abstract).

Glover, E. D. (1977): Characterization of a marine birnessite. American Mineralogist 62, 278-285.

Chukhrov, F. V., Gorshkov, A. I., Rudnitskaya, E. S., Beresovskaya, V. V., and Sivtsov, A. V. (1980): Manganese minerals in clay: a review. Clays and Clay Minerals 28, 346-453.

Golden, D. C., Dixon, J. B. and Chen, C. C. (1986): Ion exchange, thermal transformations, and oxidizing properties of birnessite. Clays and Clay Minerals 34, 511-520.

Golden, D. C., Chen, C. C., and Dixon, J. B. (1987): Transformation of birnessite to buserite, todorokite, and manganite under mild hydrothermal treatment. Clays and Clay Minerals 35, 271-280.

Post, J. E., and Veblen, D. R. (1990): Crystal structure determinations of synthetic sodium, magnesium and potassium birnessite using TEM and the Rietveld method. American Mineralogist 75, 477-489.

Anthony, J. W. et al. (1997): Handbook of Mineralogy, Vol. 3, 58.

Lanson, B., Drits, V. A., E. Silvester, E., and Manceau, A. (2000): Structure of H-exchanged hexagonal birnessite and its mechanism of formation from Na-rich monoclinic buserite at low pH. American Mineralogist 85, 826-838.

Lanson, B., Drits, V. A., Gaillot, A., Silvester, E., Plançon, A., and Manceau, A. (2002): Structure of the heavy-metal sorbed birnessite: Part I. Results from X-ray diffraction. American Mineralogist 87, 1631-1645.

Johnson, E. A., and Post, J. E. (2006): Water in the interlayer region of birnessite: Importance in cation exchange and structural stability. American Mineralogist 91, 609-618.

Internet Links for Birnessite

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    Localities for Birnessite

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