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Vanarsite

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Formula:
NaCa12(As3+V5+8.5V4+3.5As5+6O51)2·78H2O
Colour:
Very dark blue
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
2
Specific Gravity:
2.48
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
One of a few polyoxometalate minerals from the Packrat mine, that include the related morrisonite and packratite; compare other Ca-As-V bearing similar species: gatewayite and kegginite.


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Classification of VanarsiteHide

IMA status:
Approved
Approval Year:
2013
First Published:
2016

Physical Properties of VanarsiteHide

Lustre:
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Very dark blue
Streak:
Grayish blue
Hardness:
2 on Mohs scale
Comment:
~ 2
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Imperfect/Fair
{100}
Density:
2.48(2) g/cm3 (Measured)    2.460 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of VanarsiteHide

Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.645(5) nβ = 1.677 nγ = 1.681
2V:
Measured: 37° (2)
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.036
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
High
Dispersion:
Not observable
Pleochroism:
Visible
Comments:
X cornflower blue, Y dark blue, Z dark blue; X << Z~Y

Chemical Properties of VanarsiteHide

Formula:
NaCa12(As3+V5+8.5V4+3.5As5+6O51)2·78H2O
IMA Formula:
NaCa12(As3+V5+8.5V4+3.5As5+6O51)2 · 78H2O
Elements listed:
As, Ca, H, Na, O, V - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of VanarsiteHide

Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/b
Setting:
P21/c
Cell Parameters:
a = 25.8902(8) Å, b = 10.9468(3) Å, c = 28.2980(8) Å
γ = 102.252(1)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 2.365 : 1 : 2.585

Warning: deg2rad() expects parameter 1 to be float, string given in /home/mindat/www/include.php on line 9239
Unit Cell V:
0.00 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
13.1(100)
10.0(98)
9.3(63)
7.87(56)
4.44(31)
3.339(33)
2.962(32)
2.772(30)
Comments:
From Type Description.

Type Occurrence of VanarsiteHide

Type Locality:
ⓘ Packrat Mine, Gateway, Gateway District, Mesa Co., Colorado, USA
General Appearance of Type Material:
On montroseite- and corvusite-bearing sandstone
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Type material is deposited in the mineralogical collections of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California, USA, catalogue numbers 64149 and 64150
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
PackratiteMorrisoniteGatewayiteMontroseiteCorvusite
Pharmacolite

Synonyms of VanarsiteHide

Fluorescence of VanarsiteHide

Other InformationHide

Notes:
insol. RT H2O; easily sol. RT dil. 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 VanarsiteHide

Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Kampf, A.R., Hughes, J.M., Marty, J. and Nash, B.P. (2014) Vanarsite, IMA 2014- 031. CNMNC Newsletter No. 21, August 2014, page 802; Mineralogical Magazine, 78, 797-804.
Kampf, A.R., Hughes, J.M., Nash, B.P., Marty, J. (2016): Vanarsite, Packratite, Morrisonite, and Gatewayite: Four New Minerals Containing the [As3+V4+,5+12As5+6O51] Heteropolyanion, A Novel Polyoxometalate Cluster. Canadian Mineralogist. 54: 145-162.

Internet Links for VanarsiteHide

Localities for VanarsiteHide

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 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 (eg from pseudomorphs.)

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
USA (TL)
 
  • Colorado
    • Mesa Co.
      • Gateway District
        • Gateway
Kampf, A.R., Hughes, J.M., Marty, J. and Nash, B.P. (2014) Vanarsite, IMA 2014- 031. CNMNC Newsletter No. 21, August 2014, page 802; Mineralogical Magazine, 78, 797-804.
Mineral and/or Locality  
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