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Arnhem Cave, Windhoek Rural, Khomas Region, Namibiai
Regional Level Types
Arnhem CaveCave
Windhoek RuralConstituency
Khomas RegionRegion
NamibiaCountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
22° 42' 5'' South , 18° 5' 47'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
-22.70160,18.09664
GeoHash:
G#: k7uygg39d
GRN:
S16E12
Locality type:
Cave
KΓΆppen climate type:
BWh : Hot deserts climate


On Arnhem farm 222, 150 km east of Windhoek. 4.5 km long cave system, the longest one in Namibia.

Mined for bat guano (in the period of 1935 to 1942 more than 10,000 tons of bat guano was extracted; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caves_of_Namibia ). Publicly accessible since 1994.

A white friable slag with arnhemite, pyrocoproite and pyrophosphite (all three names published without IMA approval) is interpreted to have resulted from the melting of ashes during the combustion of bat guano.


Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


7 valid minerals. 1 (TL) - type locality of valid minerals.

Detailed Mineral List:

β“˜ Arcanite
Formula: K2SO4
Reference: Martini, J.E.J. (1992) Swaknoite [Ca(NH4)2Β·(HPO4)2Β·H2O, orthorhombic]: A new mineral from Arnhem cave, Namibia. Bulletin of the South African Speleological Association: 32: 72-74.
β“˜ Archerite
Formula: (K,NH4)(H2PO4)
Reference: Martini, J. E. (1994): Two new minerals originated from bat guano combustion in Arnhem Cave, Namibia. South African Speleological Assoc. Bull. 33, 66-69.; Jambor, J.L., Roberts, A.C. (1999) New mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 84: 193-198 (193).
β“˜ 'Arnhemite'
Formula: (K,Na)4Mg2(P2O7)2 · 5H2O
Reference: Martini, J. E. (1994): Two new minerals originated from bat guano combustion in Arnhem Cave, Namibia. South African Speleological Assoc. Bull. 33, 66-69.; Jambor, J.L., Roberts, A.C. (1999) New mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 84: 193-198 (193).
β“˜ Cristobalite
Formula: SiO2
Reference: Martini, J. E. (1994): Two new minerals originated from bat guano combustion in Arnhem Cave, Namibia. South African Speleological Assoc. Bull. 33, 66-69.; Jambor, J.L., Roberts, A.C. (1999) New mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 84: 193-198 (193).
β“˜ Dittmarite
Formula: (NH4)Mg(PO4) · H2O
Reference: Martini, J.E.J. (1992) Swaknoite [Ca(NH4)2Β·(HPO4)2Β·H2O, orthorhombic]: A new mineral from Arnhem cave, Namibia. Bulletin of the South African Speleological Association: 32: 72-74.
β“˜ Mundrabillaite
Formula: (NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Reference: Martini, J.E.J. (1992) Swaknoite [Ca(NH4)2Β·(HPO4)2Β·H2O, orthorhombic]: A new mineral from Arnhem cave, Namibia. Bulletin of the South African Speleological Association: 32: 72-74.
β“˜ 'Pyrocoproite'
Formula: (K,Na)2Mg(P2O7)
Description: Considered a pre-cursor material for arnhemite.
Reference: Martini, J.E.J. (1997) Pyrocoproite (Mg(K,Na)2P2O7, monoclinic), a new mineral from Arnhem Cave (Namibia), derived from bat guano combustion. Proceedings 12th Internat. Congress of Speleology, La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland, 233–235.; Jambor, J.L., Roberts, A.C. (1999) New mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 84: 193-198 (197).
β“˜ 'Pyrophosphite'
Formula: K2Ca(P2O7)
Reference: Martini, J. E. (1994): Two new minerals originated from bat guano combustion in Arnhem Cave, Namibia. South African Speleological Assoc. Bull. 33, 66-69.; Jambor, J.L., Roberts, A.C. (1999) New mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 84: 193-198 (193).
β“˜ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
Reference: Martini, J. E. (1994): Two new minerals originated from bat guano combustion in Arnhem Cave, Namibia. South African Speleological Assoc. Bull. 33, 66-69.; Jambor, J.L., Roberts, A.C. (1999) New mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 84: 193-198 (193).
β“˜ Swaknoite (TL)
Formula: (NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Type Locality:
Reference: Martini, J.E.J. (1992) Swaknoite [Ca(NH4)2Β·(HPO4)2Β·H2O, orthorhombic]: A new mineral from Arnhem cave, Namibia. Bulletin of the South African Speleological Association: 32: 72-74.

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
β“˜Cristobalite4.DA.15SiO2
β“˜Quartz4.DA.05SiO2
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
β“˜Arcanite7.AD.05K2SO4
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
β“˜Archerite8.AD.15(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
β“˜'Arnhemite'8.FC.20(K,Na)4Mg2(P2O7)2 Β· 5H2O
β“˜Dittmarite8.CH.20(NH4)Mg(PO4) Β· H2O
β“˜Mundrabillaite8.CJ.10(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 Β· H2O
β“˜'Pyrocoproite'8.FA.20(K,Na)2Mg(P2O7)
β“˜'Pyrophosphite'8.FA.20K2Ca(P2O7)
β“˜Swaknoite (TL)8.CJ.10(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 Β· H2O

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hβ“˜ Swaknoite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Hβ“˜ Dittmarite(NH4)Mg(PO4) · H2O
Hβ“˜ Mundrabillaite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Hβ“˜ Arnhemite(K,Na)4Mg2(P2O7)2 · 5H2O
Hβ“˜ Archerite(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
NNitrogen
Nβ“˜ Swaknoite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Nβ“˜ Dittmarite(NH4)Mg(PO4) · H2O
Nβ“˜ Mundrabillaite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Nβ“˜ Archerite(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
OOxygen
Oβ“˜ Swaknoite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Oβ“˜ ArcaniteK2SO4
Oβ“˜ Dittmarite(NH4)Mg(PO4) · H2O
Oβ“˜ Mundrabillaite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Oβ“˜ Arnhemite(K,Na)4Mg2(P2O7)2 · 5H2O
Oβ“˜ PyrophosphiteK2Ca(P2O7)
Oβ“˜ Archerite(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
Oβ“˜ QuartzSiO2
Oβ“˜ CristobaliteSiO2
Oβ“˜ Pyrocoproite(K,Na)2Mg(P2O7)
NaSodium
Naβ“˜ Arnhemite(K,Na)4Mg2(P2O7)2 · 5H2O
Naβ“˜ Pyrocoproite(K,Na)2Mg(P2O7)
MgMagnesium
Mgβ“˜ Dittmarite(NH4)Mg(PO4) · H2O
Mgβ“˜ Arnhemite(K,Na)4Mg2(P2O7)2 · 5H2O
Mgβ“˜ Pyrocoproite(K,Na)2Mg(P2O7)
SiSilicon
Siβ“˜ QuartzSiO2
Siβ“˜ CristobaliteSiO2
PPhosphorus
Pβ“˜ Swaknoite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Pβ“˜ Dittmarite(NH4)Mg(PO4) · H2O
Pβ“˜ Mundrabillaite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Pβ“˜ Arnhemite(K,Na)4Mg2(P2O7)2 · 5H2O
Pβ“˜ PyrophosphiteK2Ca(P2O7)
Pβ“˜ Archerite(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
Pβ“˜ Pyrocoproite(K,Na)2Mg(P2O7)
SSulfur
Sβ“˜ ArcaniteK2SO4
KPotassium
Kβ“˜ ArcaniteK2SO4
Kβ“˜ Arnhemite(K,Na)4Mg2(P2O7)2 · 5H2O
Kβ“˜ PyrophosphiteK2Ca(P2O7)
Kβ“˜ Archerite(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
Kβ“˜ Pyrocoproite(K,Na)2Mg(P2O7)
CaCalcium
Caβ“˜ Swaknoite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Caβ“˜ Mundrabillaite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Caβ“˜ PyrophosphiteK2Ca(P2O7)

References

Sort by

Year (asc) Year (desc) Author (A-Z) Author (Z-A)
Martini, J.E.J. (1992) Swaknoite [Ca(NH4)2Β·(HPO4)2Β·H2O, orthorhombic]: A new mineral from Arnhem cave, Namibia. Bulletin of the South African Speleological Association: 32: 72-74.
Jambor, J.L., Puziewicz, J. (1993) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 78: 1108-1112.
Martini, J.E.J. (1994) Two new minerals originated from bat guano combustion in Arnhem Cave, Namibia. South African Speleological Assoc. Bull. 33, 66-69.
Martini, J.E.J. (1997) Pyrocoproite (Mg(K,Na)2P2O7, monoclinic), a new mineral from Arnhem Cave (Namibia), derived from bat guano combustion. Proceedings 12th Internat. Congress of Speleology, La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland, 233–235.
Jambor, J.L., Roberts, A.C. (1999) New mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 84: 193-198 (193).
Jambor, J.L., Roberts, A.C. (1999) New mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 84: 193-198 (197).
Bezing, L. von, Bode, R. & Jahn, S. (2008): Namibia Minerals and Localities. Edition Schloss Freudenstein, Bode Verlag GmbH, Haltern, 455 pp. (in English)
Marais, E., Scott, L., Gil-Romera, G., CarriΓ³n, J. (2015) The potential of palynology in fossil bat-dung from Arnhem Cave, Namibia. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 70. 1-7. (inc. map of cave)

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