Flinteite
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About Flinteite
Formula:
K2ZnCl4
Colour:
Light green, light yellow to bright greenish-yellow , colourless
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
2
Specific Gravity:
2.49
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
Named in honour of Evgeniy Evgenievich Flint (Евгений Евгеньевич Флинт) (7 September 1887, Moscow, Russian Empire – 10 November 1975, Moscow, USSR), crystallographer. He was a professor in the Department of Crystallography, Moscow State University, and later in the Department of Mineralogy and Crystallography MGRI and Institute of Crystallography, USSR Academy of Sciences. He did considerable reasearch on goniometric measurements of crystals.
The natural analogue of a well-known synthetic room-temperature modification of K2ZnCl4, a ferroelectric material.
The most simple natural K-Zn chloride, chemically related to cryobostryxite (hydrated) and mellizinkalite (anhydrous).
In the structure there are 3 Zn sites, with Zn-centered ZnCl4 tetrahedra, and 6 K sites.
Chemically identical phase was reported to crystallize from volcanic gas (Iodake crater, Satsuma-Ioujima volcano) in an experimental condensation in silica tubes, in the temperature range of 400-500oC (Africano et al., 2002).
The most simple natural K-Zn chloride, chemically related to cryobostryxite (hydrated) and mellizinkalite (anhydrous).
In the structure there are 3 Zn sites, with Zn-centered ZnCl4 tetrahedra, and 6 K sites.
Chemically identical phase was reported to crystallize from volcanic gas (Iodake crater, Satsuma-Ioujima volcano) in an experimental condensation in silica tubes, in the temperature range of 400-500oC (Africano et al., 2002).
Classification of Flinteite
Approved
Approval Year:
2014
Physical Properties of Flinteite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Light green, light yellow to bright greenish-yellow , colourless
Hardness:
2 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
One direction of distinct cleavage was observed
One direction of distinct cleavage was observed
Density:
2.49 g/cm3 (Measured)
Optical Data of Flinteite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.573(1) nβ = 1.574(1) nγ = 1.576(1)
2V:
Measured: 40°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.003

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:
Low
Chemical Properties of Flinteite
Formula:
K2ZnCl4
Elements listed:
Common Impurities:
Rb,Cs
Crystallography of Flinteite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mm2 - Pyramidal
Space Group:
Pna21
Setting:
Pna21
Cell Parameters:
a = 26.809(1) Å, b = 12.4085(6) Å, c = 7.2512(3) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 2.161 : 1 : 0.584
Unit Cell V:
2412.18 ų
Z:
12
Morphology:
Prismatic crystals. Granular aggregates or crusts.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
6.229 | (27) |
5.123 | (88) |
3.629 | (98) |
3.599 | (100) |
3.133 | (35) |
3.039 | (26) |
2.897 | (35) |
2.688 | (46) |
Comments:
From Type Description.
Type Occurrence of Flinteite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Prismatic crystals up to 0.2 × 0.3 × 1.2 mm and granular aggregates or crusts up to 0.5 × 5 × 5 mm.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Type material is deposited in the collections of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, registration number 4529/1
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In active fumaroles
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Flinteite
Common Associates
Aphthitalite | (K,Na)3Na(SO4)2 |
Avdoninite | K2Cu5(OH)4Cl8 · H2O |
Belloite | Cu(OH)Cl |
Chlorothionite | K2Cu(SO4)Cl2 |
Chrysothallite | K6Cu6Tl3+Cl17(OH)4·H2O |
Chubarovite | KZn2(BO3)Cl2 |
Eriochalcite | CuCl2 · 2H2O |
Fluoborite | Mg3(BO3)(F,OH)3 |
Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
Halite | NaCl |
Hematite | Fe2O3 |
Hollandite | Ba(Mn4+6Mn3+2)O16 |
Kainite | KMg(SO4)Cl · 3H2O |
Krasheninnikovite | KNa2CaMg(SO4)3F |
Langbeinite | K2Mg2(SO4)3 |
Mellizinkalite | K3Zn2Cl7 |
Mitscherlichite | K2CuCl4 · 2H2O |
Romanorlovite | K8Cu6Cl17(OH)3 |
Saltonseaite | K3NaMnCl6 |
Sanguite | KCuCl3 |
Sellaite | MgF2 |
Sylvite | KCl |
Tenorite | CuO |
Vanthoffite | Na6Mg(SO4)4 |
Zincite | ZnO |
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 Flinteite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Pekov, I.V., Zubkova, N.V., Yapaskurt, V.O., Britvin, S.N., Vigasina, M.F., Sidorov, E.G. and Pushcharovsky, D.Y. (2014) Flinteite, IMA 2014-009. CNMNC Newsletter No. 20, June 2014, page 556; Mineralogical Magazine, 78, 549-558.
Pekov, I.V., Zubkova, N.V., Yapaskurt, V.O., Britvin, S.N., Vigasina, M.F., Sidorov, E.G., Pushcharovsky, D.Y. (2015): New zinc and potassium chlorides from fumaroles of the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia: mineral data and crystal chemistry. II. Flinteite, K2ZnCl4. European Journal of Mineralogy, 27, 581-588.
Africano, F., Van Rompaey, G., Bernard, A., Le Guern, F. (2002): Deposition of trace elements from high temperature gases of Satsuma-Iwojima volcano. Earth Planets Space: 54: 275-286
Internet Links for Flinteite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-46109.html
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Localities for Flinteite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Russia | |
| Pekov, I.V., Zubkova, N.V., Pautov, L.A., Yapaskurt, V.O., Chukanov, N.V., Lykova, I.S., Britvin, S.N., Sidorov, E.G. and Pushcharovsky, D.Y. (2015): Chubarovite,KZn2(BO3)Cl2, a new mineral species from the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. Canadian Mineralogist. 53: 273-284. |
| Pekov, I.V., Zubkova, N.V., Yapaskurt, V.O., Britvin, S.N., Vigasina, M.F., Sidorov, E.G. and Pushcharovsky, D.Y. (2014) Flinteite, IMA 2014-009. CNMNC Newsletter No. 20, June 2014, page 556; Mineralogical Magazine, 78, 549-558.; Pekov, I.V., Zubkova, N.V., Yapaskurt, V.O., Britvin, S.N., Vigasina, M.F., Sidorov, E.G., Pushcharovsky, D.Y. (2015): New zinc and potassium chlorides from fumaroles of the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia: mineral data and crystal chemistry. II. Flinteite, K2ZnCl4. European Journal of Mineralogy, 27, 581-588.; Pekov, I. V., Zubkova, N. V., Britvin, S. N., Yapaskurt, V. O., Chukanov, N. V., Lykova, I. S., ... & Pushcharovsky, D. Y. (2015). New zinc and potassium chlorides from fumaroles of the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia: mineral data and crystal chemistry. III. Cryobostryxite, KZnCl3· 2H2O. European Journal of Mineralogy, 27(6), 805-812 |
| Pekov, I.V., Zubkova, N.V., Yapaskurt, V.O., Britvin, S.N., Vigasina, M.F., Sidorov, E.G., Pushcharovsky, D.Y. (2015): New zinc and potassium chlorides from fumaroles of the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia: mineral data and crystal chemistry. II. Flinteite, K2ZnCl4. European Journal of Mineralogy, 27, 581-588 |
Pekov, I.V., Zubkova, N.V., Yapaskurt, V.O., Britvin, S.N., Vigasina, M.F., Sidorov, E.G., Pushcharovsky, D.Y. (2015): New zinc and potassium chlorides from fumaroles of the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia: mineral data and crystal chemistry. II. Flinteite, K2ZnCl4. European Journal of Mineralogy, 27, 581-588 |
First scoria cone, Northern Breakthrough, Great Fissure eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka Krai, Russia