Archerite
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About Archerite
Formula:
(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
Colour:
White
Lustre:
Sub-Vitreous, Waxy, Greasy
Hardness:
1 - 2
Specific Gravity:
2.23 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Name:
Named in 1977 by Peter Bridge for Michael Archer (25 March 1945, Sydney, Australia - ), professor of Biology, University of New South Wales, Australia. While a curator for the Queensland Museum, Archer discovered Petrogale cave and collected samples that would contain the new mineral.
Isostructural with:
This page provides mineralogical data about Archerite.
Classification of Archerite
Approved
7/A.12-50
8.AD.15
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
A : Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O
D : With only large cations
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
A : Phosphates, etc. without additional anions, without H2O
D : With only large cations
Dana 7th ed.:
37.1.4.2
37.1.4.2
37 : ANHYDROUS ACID PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES AND VANADATES
1 : Miscellaneous
37 : ANHYDROUS ACID PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES AND VANADATES
1 : Miscellaneous
19.1.7
19 : Phosphates
1 : Phosphates of the alkali metals
19 : Phosphates
1 : Phosphates of the alkali metals
Physical Properties of Archerite
Sub-Vitreous, Waxy, Greasy
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
White
Streak:
White
Hardness:
1 - 2 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
2.23 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Comment:
Ranges to 2.34
Optical Data of Archerite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.511 - 1.513 nε = 1.468 - 1.470
Birefringence:
0.041
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.043

Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Moderate
Optical Extinction:
parallel
Chemical Properties of Archerite
Formula:
(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
IMA Formula:
H2K(PO4)
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Archerite
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Class (H-M):
4 2m - Scalenohedral
Space Group:
I4 2d
Setting:
I4 2d
Cell Parameters:
a = 7.451 Å, c = 6.974 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.936
Unit Cell V:
387.18 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Prismatic crystals with pyramids.
Comment:
Ranges a 7.453, b 6.972
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0009154 | Archerite | Frazer B C, Pepinsky R (1953) X-ray analysis of the ferroelectric transition in KH2PO4 Acta Crystallographica 6 273-285 | ![]() | 1953 | synthetic | 0 | 126 |
0009155 | Archerite | Frazer B C, Pepinsky R (1953) X-ray analysis of the ferroelectric transition in KH2PO4 Acta Crystallographica 6 273-285 | ![]() | 1953 | synthetic, low-temperature form | 0 | 116 |
0017377 | Archerite | West J (1930) A quantitative X-ray analysis of the structure of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) _cod_database_code 1010458 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 74 306-335 | ![]() | 1930 | 0 | 293 | |
0013164 | Archerite | Nelmes R J, Meyer G M, Tibballs J E (1982) The crystal structure of tetragonal KH2PO4 and KD2PO4 as a function of temperature Journal of Physics C: Solid State Physics 15 59-75 | 1982 | 0 | 293 | ||
0013165 | Archerite | Nelmes R J, Meyer G M, Tibballs J E (1982) The crystal structure of tetragonal KH2PO4 and KD2PO4 as a function of temperature Journal of Physics C: Solid State Physics 15 59-75 | 1982 | 0 | 293 | ||
0013166 | Archerite | Nelmes R J, Meyer G M, Tibballs J E (1982) The crystal structure of tetragonal KH2PO4 and KD2PO4 as a function of temperature Journal of Physics C: Solid State Physics 15 59-75 | 1982 | 0 | 293 | ||
0013167 | Archerite | Nelmes R J, Meyer G M, Tibballs J E (1982) The crystal structure of tetragonal KH2PO4 and KD2PO4 as a function of temperature Journal of Physics C: Solid State Physics 15 59-75 | 1982 | 0 | 293 | ||
0019080 | Archerite | Ono Y, Yamada N, Hikita T (1991) Structure refinements of the mixed crystal K0.78(NH4)0.22H2PO4 in the temperature range from 20 K to 250K Journal of the Physical Society of Japan 60 2673-2677 | 1991 | synthetic | 0 | 20 | |
0015150 | Archerite | Levy H A, Peterson S W, Simonsen S H (1954) Neutron diffraction study of the ferroelectric modification of potassium dihydrogen phosphate Physical Review 93 1120-1121 | 1954 | 0 | 113 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
5.09 Å | (10) |
3.72 Å | (100) |
3.01 Å | (10) |
2.91 Å | (80) |
2.64 Å | (20) |
2.34 Å | (10) |
1.982 Å | (10) |
1.953 Å | (50) |
Comments:
ICDD 35-807, also 20-203
Geological Environment
Geological Setting:
Guano deposits
Type Occurrence of Archerite
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Guano deposit
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Archerite
Other Language Names for Archerite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
2 photos of Archerite associated with Biphosphammite | NH4(H2PO4) |
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
8.AD.05 | Nahpoite | Na2(PO3OH) | Mon. 2/m : P21/m |
8.AD.10 | Monetite | Ca(PO3OH) | Tric. 1 |
8.AD.10 | Weilite | Ca(HAsO4) | Tric. 1 : P1 |
8.AD.10 | Švenekite | Ca(H2AsO4)2 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
8.AD.15 | Biphosphammite | NH4(H2PO4) | Tet. 4 2 2 : I41 2 2 |
8.AD.20 | Phosphammite | (NH4)2(PO3OH) | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
8.AD.25 | Buchwaldite | NaCa(PO4) | Orth. mm2 : Pmn21 |
8.AD.30 | Schultenite | Pb(HAsO4) | Mon. 2/m : P2/b |
8.AD.35 | Chernovite-(Y) | Y(AsO4) | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I41/amd |
8.AD.35 | Dreyerite | Bi(VO4) | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I41/amd |
8.AD.35 | Wakefieldite-(Ce) | Ce(VO4) | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I41/amd |
8.AD.35 | Wakefieldite-(Y) | Y(VO4) | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I41/amd |
8.AD.35 | Xenotime-(Y) | Y(PO4) | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I41/amd |
8.AD.35 | Pretulite | Sc(PO4) | Tet. |
8.AD.35 | Xenotime-(Yb) | Yb(PO4) | Tet. |
8.AD.35 | Wakefieldite-(La) | La(VO4) | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I41/amd |
8.AD.35 | Wakefieldite-(Nd) | Nd(VO4) | Tet. 4/mmm (4/m 2/m 2/m) : I41/amd |
8.AD.40 | Pucherite | Bi(VO4) | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) |
8.AD.45 | Ximengite | Bi(PO4) | Trig. |
8.AD.50 | Gasparite-(Ce) | Ce(AsO4) | Mon. 2/m |
8.AD.50 | Monazite-(Ce) | Ce(PO4) | Mon. 2/m |
8.AD.50 | Monazite-(La) | La(PO4) | Mon. 2/m |
8.AD.50 | Monazite-(Nd) | Nd(PO4) | Mon. 2/m |
8.AD.50 | Rooseveltite | Bi(AsO4) | Mon. 2/m |
8.AD.50 | Cheralite | CaTh(PO4)2 | Mon. 2/m |
8.AD.50 | Monazite-(Sm) | Sm(PO4) | Mon. 2/m |
8.AD.50 | UM2005-35-VO:CaFePSiTh | (Th,Ca)(VO4,SiO4,PO4) | |
8.AD.50 | Gasparite-(La) | La(AsO4) | Mon. 2/m |
8.AD.55 | Tetrarooseveltite | Bi(AsO4) | Tet. |
8.AD.60 | Chursinite | [Hg2]2+Hg2+2[AsO4]2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
8.AD.65 | Clinobisvanite | Bi(VO4) | Mon. 2/m |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
37.1.4.1 | Biphosphammite | NH4(H2PO4) | Tet. 4 2 2 : I41 2 2 |
Related Minerals - Hey's Chemical Index of Minerals Grouping
19.1.1 | Lithiophosphate | Li3PO4 | Orth. mm2 : Pmn21 |
19.1.2 | Olympite | Na5Li(PO4)2 | Orth. |
19.1.3 | Nahpoite | Na2(PO3OH) | Mon. 2/m : P21/m |
19.1.4 | Dorfmanite | Na2(PO3OH) · 2H2O | Orth. |
19.1.5 | Nalipoite | NaLi2PO4 | Orth. |
19.1.6 | Stercorite | (NH4)Na(PO3OH) · 4H2O | Tric. |
19.1.8 | Biphosphammite | NH4(H2PO4) | Tet. 4 2 2 : I41 2 2 |
19.1.9 | Phosphammite | (NH4)2(PO3OH) | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
19.1.10 | Lithiophilite | LiMn2+PO4 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pmna |
19.1.11 | Sicklerite | Li1-x(Mn3+xMn2+1-x)PO4 | Orth. |
19.1.12 | Ferrisicklerite | Li1-x(Fe3+xFe2+1-x)PO4 | Orth. |
19.1.13 | Triphylite | LiFe2+PO4 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pmna |
19.1.14 | Tavorite | LiFe3+(PO4)(OH) | Tric. 1 : P1 |
19.1.15 | Marićite | NaFe2+(PO4) | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pmna |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
References for Archerite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
West, J. (1930) XXVI. a quantitative X-ray analysis of the structure of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4). Zeitschrift für Kristallographie: 74 : 306-332.
Frazer, B.C., Pepinsky, R. (1952) Structural changes in the ferroelectric transition of KH2PO4. Physical Review: 85: 479-480.
Frazer, B.C., Pepinsky, R. (1953) X-ray analysis of the ferroelectric transition in KH2PO4. Acta Crystallographica: 6: 273-285.
Bridge, P.J. (1977) Archerite, (K,NH4)H2PO4, a new mineral from Madura, Western Australia. Mineralogical Magazine: 41: 33-35.
Fleischer, M., Pabst, A., Mandarino, J.A., Chao, G.Y. (1977) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist: 62: 1057-1061.
Ono, Y., Yamada, N., Hikita, T. (1991) Structure refinements of the mixed crystal K0.78(NH4)0.22H2PO4 in the temperature range from 20 K to 250 K. Journal of the Physical Society of Japan: 60: 2673-2677.
Internet Links for Archerite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-315.html
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Localities for Archerite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia | |
| R Bottrill collection |
Mineralogical Magazine 39,467-469(1973) | |
| Mineralogical Magazine (1977): 41: 33-35. |
Bahamas | |
| Onac B.P., Sumrall J., Mylroie J.E., Kearns J. (2009): Cave minerals of San Salvador Island, Bahamas. The University of South Florida karst studies series, 1, 70 pp. |
Namibia | |
| [AmMin 84:193] |
Saudi Arabia | |
| Saudi Geological Survey Open-File Report SGS-OF-2004-12, 68 p. |
United Arab Emirates | |
| Audra, P., Bosák, P., Gázquez, F., Cailhol, D., Skála, R., Lisá, L., ... & Zupan Hajna, N. (2017). Bat urea-derived minerals in arid environment. First identification of allantoin, C 4 H 6 N 4 O 3, in Kahf Kharrat Najem Cave, United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Speleology, 46(1), 9. |
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Petrogale Cave, Madura Roadhouse, Dundas Shire, Western Australia, Australia