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Sussexite

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered

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Photos of Sussexite (61)

Sussexite Gallery Search Photos of Sussexite

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Sussexite

Iron Monarch Main Pit, Iron Knob, Middleback Range, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, Australia

Sussexite, etc.

Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA

Sussexite

Franklin Mine, Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA

Sussexite

Iron Monarch Main Pit, Iron Knob, Middleback Range, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, Australia

Sussexite, etc.

Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA

Sussexite

Franklin Mine, Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA

Sussexite

Iron Monarch Main Pit, Iron Knob, Middleback Range, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, Australia

Sussexite, etc.

Sterling Mine, Sterling Hill, Ogdensburg, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA

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About SussexiteHide

Ore Outcrop West Limb

Franklin Mine, Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA

Formula:

Mn²⁺BO₂(OH)

Colour:

White, lilac / lavender, black (perhaps due to alteration or inclusions), also golden-brown; colourless in transmitted light

Lustre:

Silky, Dull, Earthy

Hardness:

Specific Gravity:

3.30

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Name:

Named in 1868 by George Jarvis Brush after the type localities in Sussex County, New Jersey, USA (location of the Franklin and Sterling Hill orebodies). The name was not explicitly stated to be for "Sussex County" in print, but the understanding was probally known informally and for obvious reasons.

Co-Type Localities:

ⓘ Franklin Mine, Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA
ⓘ Hamburg Mine (Hamburg Road Mine), Franklin Mine, Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA
ⓘ Trotter Mine, Franklin Mine, Franklin, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA

Often fibrous to acicular. At the type localities, often found in fine-grained cherty masses varying in color from pale purple, lilac, lavender, or rose pink or in white to tan fibrous veins. Sussexite-Szaibélyite Series. The manganese analogue of Szaibélyite.

Visit gemdat.org for gemological information about Sussexite.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

3834

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:3834:4

GUID
(UUID V4):

2d549a9e-204e-4cf8-9d65-7c804cf2e4ac

IMA Classification of SussexiteHide

IMA status:

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)

First published:

1868

Type description reference:

Brush, G.J. (1868) On sussexite, a new borate from Mine Hill, Franklin Furnace, Sussex Co., New Jersey. American Journal of Science and Arts: 96: 240-243.

Classification of SussexiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2024):

6.BA.15

6 : BORATES
B : Diborates
A : Neso-diborates with double triangles B₂(O,OH)₅; 2(2D); 2(2D) + OH, etc.

Dana 8th ed.:

25.2.1.1

25 : ANHYDROUS BORATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
2 : Diborates

Hey's CIM Ref.:

9.7.4

9 : Borates
7 : Borates of Mn

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Symbol	Source	Reference
Ssx	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of SussexiteHide

Lustre:

Silky, Dull, Earthy

Transparency:

Transparent, Translucent

Colour:

White, lilac / lavender, black (perhaps due to alteration or inclusions), also golden-brown; colourless in transmitted light

Comment:

May be orange due to zincite inclusions

Streak:

White

Hardness:

3 on Mohs scale

Fracture:

Sub-Conchoidal, Fibrous

Density:

3.30 g/cm³ (Measured) 3.43 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of SussexiteHide

Type:

Biaxial (-)

RI values:

n_α = 1.670 n_β = 1.728 n_γ = 1.732

2V:

Measured: 25°

Birefringence:

0.062

Max Birefringence:

δ = 0.062

Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.

Surface Relief:

High

Dispersion:

r > v strong

Chemistry of SussexiteHide

Mindat Formula:

Mn²⁺BO₂(OH)

Elements listed:

B, H, Mn, O - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Common Impurities:

Crystallography of SussexiteHide

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Class (H-M):

2 2 2 - Disphenoidal

Space Group:

P2₁ 2₁ 2

Setting:

P2₁ 2₁ 2

Cell Parameters:

a = 10.70 Å, b = 12.77 Å, c = 3.25 Å

Ratio:

a:b:c = 0.838 : 1 : 0.255

Unit Cell V:

444.08 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

Veinlets and masses with a felted or matted fibrous structure; also parallel-fibrous or transverse-fibrous veinlets. Chert-like masses. Microscopically observed as minute laths or flattened fibers.

Crystal StructureHide

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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)
0015408	Sussexite	Hoffmann C, Armbruster T (1995) Crystal structure of a (001) twinned sussexite Mn2B2O4(OH)2 from the Kalahari Manganese Field South Africa Schweizerische Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen 75 123-133		1995	Nchwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Field, South Africa	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Sussexite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Hoffmann C'
'Armbruster T'
_journal_name_full 'Schweizerische Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen'
_journal_volume 75 
_journal_year 1995
_journal_page_first 123
_journal_page_last 133
_publ_section_title
;
 Crystal structure of a (001) twinned sussexite Mn2B2O4(OH)2 from the Kalahari
 Manganese Field South Africa
;
_database_code_amcsd 0015408
_chemical_compound_source 'Nchwaning II Mine, Kalahari Manganese Field, South Africa'
_chemical_formula_sum '(Mn.906 Mg.094) B O3 H'
_cell_length_a 3.287
_cell_length_b 10.718
_cell_length_c 12.866
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 94.75
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 451.713
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      3.290
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P 1 21/c 1'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  'x,1/2-y,1/2+z'
  '-x,1/2+y,1/2-z'
  '-x,-y,-z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_occupancy
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
MnM1   0.22960   0.13888   0.50637   0.92100   0.00870
MgM1   0.22960   0.13888   0.50637   0.07900   0.00870
Mn2   0.71540   0.41978   0.41041   0.89100   0.00980
Mg2   0.71540   0.41978   0.41041   0.10900   0.00980
B1   0.75480   0.16720   0.14100   1.00000   0.00710
B2   0.62630   0.04760   0.30730   1.00000   0.01510
O1   0.77290   0.06450   0.07800   1.00000   0.01300
O2   0.76080   0.28730   0.10440   1.00000   0.01400
O3   0.71860   0.15220   0.24850   1.00000   0.01740
O4   0.60260   0.45230   0.24290   1.00000   0.01720
O5   0.72360   0.04380   0.41290   1.00000   0.01390
O6   0.20990   0.29320   0.40350   1.00000   0.01300
H4   0.33000   0.61560   0.80250   1.00000   0.05000
H6   0.81500   0.75370   0.16440   1.00000   0.05000
loop_
_atom_site_aniso_label
_atom_site_aniso_U_11
_atom_site_aniso_U_22
_atom_site_aniso_U_33
_atom_site_aniso_U_12
_atom_site_aniso_U_13
_atom_site_aniso_U_23
MnM1 0.00840 0.00810 0.00950 0.00020 0.00130 -0.00050
MgM1 0.00840 0.00810 0.00950 0.00020 0.00130 -0.00050
Mn2 0.00920 0.01190 0.00850 -0.00060 0.00150 0.00030
Mg2 0.00920 0.01190 0.00850 -0.00060 0.00150 0.00030
B1 0.00830 0.00670 0.00640 0.00250 0.00150 -0.00160
B2 0.01160 0.02280 0.01170 0.00120 0.00500 0.00110
O1 0.01520 0.01150 0.01230 -0.00200 0.00150 -0.00010
O2 0.01540 0.01220 0.01460 0.00190 0.00350 0.00140
O3 0.02740 0.01400 0.01120 -0.00330 0.00320 -0.00050
O4 0.02580 0.01540 0.01000 0.00390 -0.00060 -0.00370
O5 0.01520 0.01420 0.01240 0.00210 0.00190 0.00130
O6 0.01490 0.01270 0.01140 -0.00260 0.00080 0.00240

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
6.32 Å	(100)
5.33 Å	(20)
4.14 Å	(30)
3.95 Å	(30)
3.43 Å	(40)
3.32 Å	(40)
3.11 Å	(40)
3.01 Å	(10)
2.889 Å	(20)
2.744 Å	(80)
2.672 Å	(40)
2.616 Å	(40)
2.478 Å	(80)
2.404 Å	(40)
2.257 Å	(40)
2.129 Å	(40)
2.050 Å	(30)
1.973 Å	(20)
1.912 Å	(10)
1.861 Å	(30)
1.832 Å	(30)
1.788 Å	(60)
1.742 Å	(40)
1.695 Å	(30)
1.649 Å	(30)
1.629 Å	(30)
1.614 Å	(10)
1.563 Å	(30)
1.543 Å	(30)
1.517 Å	(30)
1.506 Å	(20)
1.489 Å	(10)
1.457 Å	(10)
1.438 Å	(20)
1.408 Å	(20)
1.388 Å	(20)
1.369 Å	(40)
1.332 Å	(20)
1.313 Å	(20)

Comments:

ICDD 13-599 (Gonzen, Switzerland); series with szaibelyite

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Near-surface Processes
23 : Subaerial aqueous alteration by non-redox-sensitive fluids (see also #47)

Type Occurrence of SussexiteHide

Co-Type Localities:

General Appearance of Type Material:

Fibrous, sometimes asbestiform.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA, 3.1072.
National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian), Washington, D.C., USA, 124356.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Hydrothermal veinlets traversing Precambrian metamorphosed Zn-Mn-Fe orebody (Franklin, NJ).

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Reference:

Brush, G.J. (1868) On sussexite, a new borate from Mine Hill, Franklin Furnace, Sussex Co., New Jersey. American Journal of Science and Arts: 96: 240-243.

Download:

https://rruff.info/rruff_1.0/uploads/American_journal_of_science_96_1868_240.pdf

Other Language Names for SussexiteHide

German:Sussexit

Russian:Суссексит

Spanish:Sussexita

Relationship of Sussexite to other SpeciesHide

Forms a series with:

Szaibélyite

Sussexite-Szaibélyite Series

Common AssociatesHide

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:

58 photos of Sussexite associated with Zincite	ZnO
39 photos of Sussexite associated with Willemite	Zn₂SiO₄
35 photos of Sussexite associated with Franklinite	Zn²⁺Fe³⁺₂O₄
28 photos of Sussexite associated with Calcite	CaCO₃
21 photos of Sussexite associated with Pyrochroite	Mn(OH)₂
8 photos of Sussexite associated with Hetaerolite	ZnMn₂O₄
7 photos of Sussexite associated with Alleghanyite	Mn²⁺₅(SiO₄)₂(OH)₂
7 photos of Sussexite associated with Mooreite	Mg₉◻₂Mn₂Zn₄(SO₄)₂(OH)₂₆ · 8H₂O
6 photos of Sussexite associated with Sarkinite	Mn²⁺₂(AsO₄)(OH)
5 photos of Sussexite associated with Fluoborite	Mg₃(BO₃)(F,OH)₃

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

6.BA.05	Suanite	Mg₂[B₂O₅]	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
6.BA.10	Clinokurchatovite	Ca(Mg,Fe²⁺,Mn²⁺)[B₂O₅]	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
6.BA.10	Kurchatovite	Ca(Mg,Mn²⁺)[B₂O₅]	Orth.
6.BA.15	Szaibélyite	MgBO₂(OH)	Mon. 2/m
6.BA.20	Wiserite	(Mn²⁺,Mg)₁₄(B₂O₅)₄(OH)₈ · (Si,Mg)(O,OH)₄Cl	Tet. 4/m : P4/n

Fluorescence of SussexiteHide

In UV light:

Not fluorescent in UV

Other InformationHide

IR Spectrum:

Franklin material (Mg-rich variety) [cm^-1]: 3560, 3515, 2890w, 2770w, 2585w, 2490, 2355sh, 2015w, 1895w, 1461sh, 1443s, 1361s, 1275sh, 1261s, 1225s, 993, 967, 826, 702s, 688, 674, 620s, 530, 514, 467w, 441, 401, 380

Notes:

Slowly soluble in acids.

Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for SussexiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-3834.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

Look for Sussexite on Webmineral

Look for Sussexite on Wikipedia

Look for Sussexite on Mineralien Atlas

Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

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References for SussexiteHide

Reference List:

Brush, G.J. (1868) New borate from Mine Hill, Franklin, Sussex Co.,N.J. - Sussexite. American Journal of Science, 2nd. series: 46: 140-140.

Brush, G.J. (1868) On sussexite, a new borate from Mine Hill, Franklin Furnace, Sussex Co., New Jersey. American Journal of Science and Arts: 96: 240-243.

Penfield, S.L., Sperry, E.S. (1888) Mineralogical notes (Sussexite from Mine Hill, Franklin, N.J.). American Journal of Science: 36: 317-331 (323).

Poitevin, E., Ellsworth, H.V. (1924) New optical data for analyzed sussexite. American Mineralogist: 9: 188-189.

Palache, C. (1928) Mineralogical notes on Franklin and Sterling Hill, New Jersey. American Mineralogist, 13 (7) 297-329 (Bauer analysis)

Slawson, C.B. (1934) Sussexite from Iron County, Michigan. American Mineralogist: 19: 575-577.

Schaller, W.T. (1942) The identity of ascharite, camsellite, and β-ascharite with szaibelyite; and some relations of the magnesium borate minerals. American Mineralogist: 27: 467-486.

Palache, Charles, Berman, Harry, Frondel, Clifford (1951) The System of Mineralogy (7th ed.) Vol. 2 - Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Ect. John Wiley and Sons, New York.pp.375-377

Frondel, Clifford, Ito, Jun (1965) Sussexite from Sterling Hill, New Jersey. American Mineralogist, 50 (3-4) 502-503

Kovaleva, L.T., Nekrasov, I.Y., Arkhipenko, D.K., Brovkin, A.A., Grigor'ev, A.P., Komar, L.V. (1965) A study of minerals in the szaibelyite—Sussexite series by infrared spectroscopy and electron diffraction methods. Journal of Structural Chemistry: 6(1): 68-71.

Brovkin, A.A., Nekrasov, I. (1966) The dependence of the cell parameters of the minerals in the szaibelyite–sussexite series on their chemistry. Rontgenogr. Mineral. Syrya: 5: 19-26.

Satoshi, M., Akira, K., Tokiko, T., Yukio, K. (1976) The occurrence of sussexite from the Matsuo Mine, Kochi Prefecture, Japan. Memoirs of the National Science Museum (Tokyo): 9: 72-75.

Hoffmann, C., Armbruster, T. (1995) Crystal structure of a (001) twinned sussexite Mn2B2O4(OH)2 from the Kalahari Manganese Field South Africa. Schweizerische Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen: 75: 123-133.

Grew, Edward S., Anovitz, Lawrence M., Grew, Edward S., Anovitz, Lawrence M. - Eds. (1996) Boron - Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry. Reviews in Mineralogy Vol. 33. Mineralogical Society of America

Chukanov, Nikita V. (2014) Springer Geochemistry/Mineralogy - Infrared spectra of mineral species. Springer Netherlands. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-7128-4

(2023) Sussexite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for SussexiteHide

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed.

- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.

- Good crystals or important locality for species.

- World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.


Australia
South Australia Eyre Peninsula Middleback Range Iron Knob ⓘ Iron Monarch Main Pit	Pring et al. (1992) +1 other reference

Austria
Styria Bruck-Mürzzuschlag District Sankt Barbara im Mürztal Veitsch Kleinveitsch Kaiblinggraben ⓘ Friedlkogel (Friedelkogel; Heinzlkogel)	Postl (2000)

France
Occitanie Hautes-Pyrénées ⓘ Aure Valley	Le Règne Minéral 47: 5-21
Bagnères-de-Bigorre Vielle-Aure ⓘ Coustou Mine	De Ascenção Guedes et al. (2002)

Italy
Liguria Genoa Ne Reppia ⓘ Gambatesa Mine	Pipino (1984)

Japan
Fukui Prefecture Mikatakaminaka District Wakasa-cho ⓘ Fujii mine	加藤昭 (1980) +1 other reference
Iwate Prefecture Kunohe-gun Noda ⓘ Noda-Tamagawa mine	Dr. Matsuo Nambu collection (curated at Geological Survey of Japan)
Mie Prefecture Watarai District Watarai town ⓘ Kurihara mine	Masutomi Museum specimen (Kyoto) +1 other reference
Tochigi Prefecture ⓘ Hokkohji mine	加藤昭 (1980) +1 other reference
ⓘ Kamibishi mine	加藤昭 (1980)
Kanuma City ⓘ Kaso Mine	Akira Kato (undated manuscript)
Tokyo Metropolis Nishitama district Okutama-cho ⓘ Kiyokawa mine	加藤昭 (1980)

Namibia
Otjozondjupa Region Otavi Constituency Kombat ⓘ Kombat Mine	Dunn (1991)

North Korea
North Hwanghae Province Suan County ⓘ Hol Kol Mine (Holgol; Suan; Namjong)	Dana 7:II::323

Romania
Maramureș County Târgu Lăpuș ⓘ Răzoare	Hirtopanu et al. (2015)

Russia
Nenets Autonomous Okrug Yugorskii Peninsula Pai-Khoi Range (Paikhoi; Pay Khoy) ⓘ Silovayakhinskoye occurrence	Старикова (2011)

South Africa
Northern Cape John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality Joe Morolong Local Municipality Hotazel ⓘ Hotazel Mine	Von Bezing (1991) +1 other reference
N'Chwaning Mines ⓘ N'Chwaning II Mine	Cairncross et al. (1995)

Switzerland
St. Gallen Sarganserland Sargans ⓘ Gonzen Mine	Stalder et al. (1998)

USA
Michigan Iron County ⓘ Chicagon mine	Rocks & Minerals: 58: 111 & 62: 166. +1 other reference
Stambaugh ⓘ Cannon Mine (Bengal-Tully Mine)	Morris Jr. (1983)
New Jersey Sussex County Franklin ⓘ Franklin Mine (TL)	Palache (1935) +2 other references
ⓘ Hamburg Mine (Hamburg Road Mine) (TL)	Palache (1930)
ⓘ Taylor Mine	Palache (1935)
ⓘ Trotter Mine (TL)	Palache (1935)
Ogdensburg Sterling Hill ⓘ Sterling Mine	Frondel et al. (1965) +1 other reference
ⓘ North Ore Body	Peter Chin
Utah Salt Lake County Big Cottonwood Mining District Brighton Great Western Mine Group ⓘ Big Cottonwood Mine	Bullock (1981)
ⓘ Mountain Lake Mine (Jack Mine)	Bullock (1981)
Virginia Amelia County Winterham ⓘ Morefield Mine (Morefield pegmatite)	Kearns et al. (2004)

Sussexite

About SussexiteHide

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of SussexiteHide

Classification of SussexiteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of SussexiteHide

Optical Data of SussexiteHide

Chemistry of SussexiteHide

Crystallography of SussexiteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of SussexiteHide

Other Language Names for SussexiteHide

Relationship of Sussexite to other SpeciesHide

Common AssociatesHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Fluorescence of SussexiteHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for SussexiteHide

References for SussexiteHide

Localities for SussexiteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide