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Buttgenbachite

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Likasi Mine (Panda Mine), Likasi, Central area, Katanga Copper Crescent, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
© Thomas Witzke

Show Buttgenbachite Photos (6)
Formula:
Cu
 
19
[(OH)
 
32
|(NO
 
3
)
 
2
|Cl
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
System:HexagonalColour:Deep blue; blue in ...
Lustre:VitreousHardness:3
Name:Named for Henri Buttgenbach (1874-1964), Belgian mineralogist


Connellite-Buttgenbachite Series.

A very rare secondary copper mineral.

Classification of Buttgenbachite

IMA status:Valid - first described prior to 1959 (pre-IMA) - "Grandfathered"
Strunz 8th edition ID:3/D.03-30
Nickel-Strunz 10th (pending) edition ID:3.DA.25

3 : HALIDES
D : Oxyhalides, hydroxyhalides and related double halides
A : With Cu, etc., without Pb
Dana 7th edition ID:19.2.2.1
Dana 8th edition ID:19.1.2.1

19 : NITRATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
1 : Anhydrous Nitrates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen
Hey's CIM Ref.:13.7

13 : Nitrates
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Type Occurrence of Buttgenbachite

Type Locality:Likasi Mine (Panda Mine), Likasi, Central area, Katanga Copper Crescent, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)
Year of Discovery:1925

Physical Properties of Buttgenbachite

Lustre:Vitreous
Diaphaneity (Transparency):Translucent
Colour:Deep blue; blue in transmitted light.
Streak:Light blue
Hardness (Mohs):3

Crystallography of Buttgenbachite

Crystal System:Hexagonal
Class (H-M):6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:P63/mmc {P63/m 2/m 2/c}
Cell Parameters:a = 15.75Å, c = 9.161Å
Ratio:a:c = 1 : 0.582
Unit Cell Volume:V 1968.04 ų
Z:1
Morphology:Crystals acicular [0001] and striated [0001]; radiating groups of needles; felted aggregates.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction:
d-spacingIntensity
13.70 (100)
7.95 (100)
3.27 (70)
2.75 (100)
2.51 (70)
2.30 (100)

Optical Data of Buttgenbachite

Type:Uniaxial (+)
RI values: nω = 1.738 nε = 1.752
Maximum Birefringence:δ = 0.014

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

Chemical Properties of Buttgenbachite

Formula:
Cu
 
19
[(OH)
 
32
|(NO
 
3
)
 
2
|Cl
 
4
] · 2H
 
2
O
Essential elements:Cl, Cu, H, N, O
All elements listed in formula:Cl, Cu, H, N, O

Relationship of Buttgenbachite to other Species

Series:Forms a series with Connellite (see here)
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping):

- +
3.DA.05Melanothallite
Cu
 
2
[O|Cl
 
2
]
3.DA.10aAtacamite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10bBotallackite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10bClinoatacamite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10aHibbingite
Fe
2+
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10aKempite
Mn
2+
2
[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
3.DA.10cParatacamite
Cu
 
3
(Cu,Zn)[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
3.DA.10bBelloite
Cu[OH|Cl]
3.DA.10cHerbertsmithite
Cu
 
3
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
3.DA.10cKapellasite
Cu
 
3
Zn[(OH)
 
3
|Cl]
 
2
3.DA.10cGillardite
Cu
 
3
NiCl
 
2
(OH)
 
6
3.DA.10cHaydeeite
Cu
 
3
Mg(OH)
 
6
Cl
 
2
3.DA.10dIMA2009-042
Cu
 
2
Cl(OH)
 
3
3.DA.15Claringbullite
Cu
 
4
[(OH)
 
7
|Cl] · nH
 
2
O
3.DA.20Simonkolleite
Zn
 
5
[(OH)
 
8
|Cl
 
2
] · H
 
2
O
3.DA.25Connellite
Cu
 
19
[(OH)
 
32
|SO
 
4
|Cl
 
4
] · 3H
 
2
O
3.DA.30Abhurite
Sn
 
21
Cl
 
16
(OH)
 
14
O
 
6
3.DA.35Ponomarevite
K
 
4
Cu
 
4
[O|Cl
 
10
]
3.DA.40Anthonyite
Cu(OH,Cl)
 
2
 · 3H
 
2
O
3.DA.40Calumetite
Cu(OH,Cl)
 
2
 · 2H
 
2
O
3.DA.45Khaidarkanite
Na
 
0.34
Cu
 
4
Al
 
3
(OH)
 
14
F
 
3
·2H
 
2
O
3.DA.50Bobkingite
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
8
|Cl
 
2
] · 2H
 
2
O
3.DA.55Avdoninite
K
 
2
Cu
 
5
[(OH)
 
4
|Cl
 
8
] · H
 
2
O
3.DA.60Droninoite
Ni
 
3
Fe
3+
 
Cl(OH)
 
8
·2H
 
2
O
Related Minerals - Hey's Index Grouping:

- +
13.1Nitratine
NaNO
 
3
13.2Niter
KNO
 
3
13.3Gerhardtite
Cu
 
2
[(OH)
 
3
|NO
 
3
]
13.4Nitromagnesite
Mg(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
13.5Nitrocalcite
Ca(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·4H
 
2
O
13.6Nitrobarite
Ba(NO
 
3
)
 
2
13.8Sveite
KAl
 
7
[Cl|(OH)
 
8
|(NO
 
3
)
 
2
]
 
2
 · 8H
 
2
O
13.9Darapskite
Na
 
3
NO
 
3
SO
 
4
·H
 
2
O
13.10Humberstonite
Na
 
7
K
 
3
Mg
 
2
(SO
 
4
)
 
6
(NO
 
3
)
 
2
·6H
 
2
O
13.11Mbobomkulite
(Ni,Cu)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|{(NO
 
3
)
 
2
,SO
 
4
}] · 3H
 
2
O
13.12Hydrombobomkulite
(Ni,Cu)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|{(NO
 
3
)
 
2
,SO
 
4
}] · 13-14H
 
2
O
13.13Nickelalumite
(Ni,Cu)Al
 
4
[(OH)
 
12
|{SO
 
4
,(NO
 
3
)
 
2
}] · 3H
 
2
O

Other Names for Buttgenbachite

Other Languages:
German:Buttgenbachit
Russian:Буттгенбахит
Spanish:Buttgenbachita

Other Information

Other Information:Soluble in acids and in ammonium hydroxide. Insoluble in water.
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 Buttgenbachite

Reference List:Penfield (1890) American Journal of Science: 40: 82.

Schoep (1925) Comptes rendu de l’Académie des sciences de Paris: 181: 421.

Schoep (1925) Bull. soc. chim. Belgique: 34: 313.

Bannister, F.A., Hey, M.H. and Claringbull, G.F. (1950) Connellite, buttgenbachite, and tallingite. Mineralogical Magazine 29, 280-286.

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.: 572-573.

Mélon, J. and Toussaint, J. (1952) La buttgenbachite de Likasi (Congo belge). Bulletin de la Société Géologique de Belgique 75, 293-296. (in French).

American Mineralogist: 11: 216.

American Mineralogist: 12: 381.

Mineralogical Magazine: 39: 264-270.

Leverett, p., P.A.Williams and D.E.Hibbs, Buttgenbachite from Cornwall: a single crystal study, Journal of the Russell Society 10, 47-50(2007)[abstract: MinAbs 08M/1136]

Internet Links for Buttgenbachite

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    Localities for Buttgenbachite

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    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: 12th Nov 2009 17:11:56