Barlowite
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About Barlowite
William Barlow
Formula:
Cu4BrF(OH)6
Colour:
Blue
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
2 - 2½
Specific Gravity:
4.21 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Name:
For William Barlow (8 August 1845 – 28 February 1934), an English amateur geologist and crystallographer; he independently enumerated the 230 space groups and proposed several crystal structures in the 1880's.
Isostructural with:
The Br analogue of claringbullite. The only approved Cu-Br mineral. Third non-oxysalt Cu-F mineral beside claringbullite and khaidarkanite.
In the structure there is Cu(1)(OH)4Br2 polyhedron, that is a Jahn-Teller distorted octahedron. Each Cu(1) octahedron have four edges common with adjacent octahedra, thus forming a sheet within the (001) plane; and adjacent sheets link along [001] by Br-sharing. There are channels along [001], that host F anions in their centres.
In the structure there is Cu(1)(OH)4Br2 polyhedron, that is a Jahn-Teller distorted octahedron. Each Cu(1) octahedron have four edges common with adjacent octahedra, thus forming a sheet within the (001) plane; and adjacent sheets link along [001] by Br-sharing. There are channels along [001], that host F anions in their centres.
Classification of Barlowite
Approved
Approval Year:
2010
3.DA.15
3 : HALIDES
D : Oxyhalides, hydroxyhalides and related double halides
A : With Cu, etc., without Pb
3 : HALIDES
D : Oxyhalides, hydroxyhalides and related double halides
A : With Cu, etc., without Pb
10.5.6.2
10 : OXYHALIDES AND HYDROXYHALIDES
5 : Am(O,OH)pXq
10 : OXYHALIDES AND HYDROXYHALIDES
5 : Am(O,OH)pXq
Physical Properties of Barlowite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Blue
Streak:
Sky blue
Hardness:
2 - 2½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
on {001}
on {001}
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
4.21 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Comment:
Density could not be measured; the mineral sinks in the heaviest liquid available
Optical Data of Barlowite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 1.840 - 1.845 nε = 1.833 - 1.840
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.007
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:
Very High
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic
Chemical Properties of Barlowite
Formula:
Cu4BrF(OH)6
Common Impurities:
Cl
Crystallography of Barlowite
Crystal System:
Hexagonal
Class (H-M):
6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) - Dihexagonal Dipyramidal
Space Group:
P63/mmc
Setting:
P63/mmc
Cell Parameters:
a = 6.6786(2) Å, c = 9.2744(3) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 1.389
Unit Cell V:
358.251 ų
Z:
2
Morphology:
Thin platy, hexagonal crystals up to 0.5 mm wide.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 5.790 | (100) |
| 3.338 | (15) |
| 2.889 | (40) |
| 2.759 | (15) |
| 2.707 | (55) |
| 2.452 | (40) |
| 1.778 | (20) |
| 1.668 | (30) |
| ( |
Type Occurrence of Barlowite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Thin blue, platy, hexagonal crystals up to 0.5 mm wide in a cuprite-quartz-goethite matrix.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
South Australian Museum, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, reg. no. G17449
Geological Setting of Type Material:
among secondary Cu minerals formed in cavities in cuprite-rich rocks, by oxidation of primary Cu mineralization under
low-temperature conditions
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Barlowite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
| 3.DA. | Centennialite | CaCu3Cl2(OH)6 · nH2O (n ~ 0.7) | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3m1 |
| 3.DA.05 | Melanothallite | Cu2Cl2O | Orth. |
| 3.DA.10a | Atacamite | Cu2(OH)3Cl | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma |
| 3.DA.10b | Botallackite | Cu2(OH)3Cl | Mon. 2/m : P21/m |
| 3.DA.10b | Clinoatacamite | Cu2(OH)3Cl | Mon. 2/m |
| 3.DA.10a | Hibbingite | Fe2+2(OH)3Cl | Orth. |
| 3.DA.10a | Kempite | Mn2+2(OH)3Cl | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pnma |
| 3.DA.10c | Paratacamite | Cu3(Cu,Zn)(OH)6Cl2 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) |
| 3.DA.10b | Belloite | Cu(OH)Cl | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| 3.DA.10c | Herbertsmithite | Cu3Zn(OH)6Cl2 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m |
| 3.DA.10c | Kapellasite | Cu3Zn(OH)6Cl2 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3m1 |
| 3.DA.10c | Gillardite | Cu3Ni(OH)6Cl2 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m |
| 3.DA.10c | Haydeeite | Cu3Mg(OH)6Cl2 | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3m1 |
| 3.DA.15 | Claringbullite | Cu4ClF(OH)6 | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P63/mmc |
| 3.DA.20 | Simonkolleite | Zn5Cl2(OH)8 · H2O | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : P3m1 |
| 3.DA.25 | Buttgenbachite | Cu19(NO3)2(OH)32Cl4 · 2H2O | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P63/mmc |
| 3.DA.25 | Connellite | Cu19(SO4)(OH)32Cl4 · 3H2O | Hex. 6 m2 : P62c |
| 3.DA.30 | Abhurite | Sn21Cl16(OH)14O6 | Trig. |
| 3.DA.35 | Ponomarevite | K4Cu4Cl10O | Mon. |
| 3.DA.40 | Anthonyite | Cu(OH,Cl)2 · 3H2O | Mon. 2/m |
| 3.DA.40 | Calumetite | Cu(OH,Cl)2 · 2H2O | Orth. |
| 3.DA.45 | Khaidarkanite | Na0.34Cu4Al3(OH)14F3 · 2H2O | Mon. |
| 3.DA.50 | Bobkingite | Cu5Cl2(OH)8 · 2H2O | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
| 3.DA.55 | Avdoninite | K2Cu5(OH)4Cl8 · H2O | Mon. 2/m |
| 3.DA.60 | Droninoite | Ni6Fe2+3(OH)16Cl2 · 4H2O | Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
| 10.5.6.1 | Claringbullite | Cu4ClF(OH)6 | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P63/mmc |
Other Information
Notes:
Readily soluble in cold dilute HCl
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 Barlowite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Elliott, P. and Cooper, M.A. (2010). Barlowite, IMA 2010-020. CNMNC Newsletter, August 2010, p. 798, Mineralogical Magazine 74, 797-800.
Elliott, P., Cooper, M.A. & Pring, A. (2014): Barlowite, Cu4FBr(OH)6, a new mineral isotructural with claringbullite: description and crystal structure. Mineralogical Magazine, 78, 1755-1762.
Han, T. H., Singleton, J., & Schlueter, J. A. (2014). Barlowite: a spin-1/2 antiferromagnet with a geometrically perfect kagome motif. Physical review letters, 113(22), 227203.
Gati, E., Wolf, B., Schlueter, J. A., & Lang, M. (2015). Dilatometric Studies on Single Crystalline Barlowite–A Structurally Perfect Spin-1/2 Kagome System. Physics Procedia, 75, 597-604.
Internet Links for Barlowite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-40276.html
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Localities for Barlowite
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The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for 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).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia (TL) | |
| Elliott, P. and Cooper, M.A. (2010). Barlowite, IMA 2010-020. CNMNC Newsletter, August 2010, p.798, Mineralogical Magazine 74, 797-800.: Elliott, P., Cooper, M.A. & Pring, A. (2014): Barlowite, Cu4FBr(OH)6, a new mineral isotructural with claringbullite: description and crystal structure. Mineralogical Magazine, 78,1755-1762. |
Great Australia Mine, Cloncurry, Cloncurry Shire, Queensland, Australia