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Improving Mindat.orgTorbernite or autunite?

5th Mar 2017 01:01 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

https://www.mindat.org/photo-807975.html why is this torbernite? Looks more like autunite to me.

5th Mar 2017 01:45 UTCAlex Earl 🌟 Expert

Reiner, this specimen came labeled as torbernite, it also does not fluoresce at all, and there is a metallic mineral, that appears to be enargite, which is why I am calling it torbernite. I got this specimen from Ron Gibbs, who used to work at the tyrone mine from what I understand, and he is a reputable mineral collector.

5th Mar 2017 01:59 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Well if it doesn't fluoresce then Torbernite it is.

5th Mar 2017 02:09 UTCPavel Kartashov Manager

Metatorbernite, of course.

5th Mar 2017 02:32 UTCAlex Earl 🌟 Expert

I will change it to metatorbernite Pavel, thanks, it is opaque, and probably dehydrated.

5th Mar 2017 05:54 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

Why are our choices limited to only autunite and torbernite (and their dehydration products)? Why not some other non-fluorescing species in the same group, like bassetite?

5th Mar 2017 13:19 UTCReiner Mielke Expert

Hello Alfredo,


Probably because other ones are not listed as found there. However you make a good point as this list could be incomplete. If it where my specimen I would get it tested.

5th Mar 2017 21:59 UTCDon Saathoff Expert

I've known Ron for nearly thirty years and I have not known him to make an ID without verification. He is a retired mining engineer from Phelps-Dodge and is an accomplished mineralogist. If the specimen came from the Tyron San Salvador Hill pit, it is metatorbernite. We've got some nice specimens from there...


Don

5th Mar 2017 22:26 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

As I've said many times in the past, color is the least reliable tool for mineral species ID, but nevertheless when I see a yellow-brown "metatorbernite" I do think it would be useful to see some analytical confirmation, apart from the words of a locality authority, or at the very least hear from the locality authority some details about which methods were used for the ID and by whom it was performed. Then I'll take off my irascible curmudgeon hat and go back to being a normal trusting mineral collector ;-)
 
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