Maxwellite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Maxwellite
Formula:
NaFe3+(AsO4)F
Colour:
Red
Lustre:
Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous
Hardness:
5 - 5½
Specific Gravity:
3.90
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named by Eugene E. Foord, Paul F. Hlava, Joan J. Fitzpatrick, Richard C. Erd, and R. W. Hinton in honor of Charles Henry Maxwell (9 July 1923 – 29 May 2000 Denver, Colorado), geologist and mineralogist with the U.S. Geological Survey, who studied the Taylor Creek district.
Isostructural with:
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
2605
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:2605:1
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
d2bf865b-5aa2-4932-88a8-feb8f62c3b0e
IMA Classification of Maxwellite
Classification of Maxwellite
8.BH.10
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
H : With medium-sized and large cations, (OH,etc.):RO4 = 1:1
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
H : With medium-sized and large cations, (OH,etc.):RO4 = 1:1
41.5.5.3
41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
5 : (AB)2(XO4)Zq
41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
5 : (AB)2(XO4)Zq
22.1.21
22 : Phosphates, Arsenates or Vanadates with other Anions
1 : Phosphates, arsenates or vanadates with fluoride
22 : Phosphates, Arsenates or Vanadates with other Anions
1 : Phosphates, arsenates or vanadates with fluoride
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Symbol | Source | Reference |
---|---|---|
Max | 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 Maxwellite
Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
Red
Streak:
Pale red-orange to red-orange
Hardness:
5 - 5½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
{110}
{110}
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
3.90 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.95 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Maxwellite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.748 nβ = 1.772 nγ = 1.798
2V:
Measured: 86° to 89°, Calculated: 90°
Birefringence:
0.050
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.050
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
Dispersion:
r > v strong
Comments:
X=Y= medium yellow-orange; Z= dark orange-red.
Chemistry of Maxwellite
Mindat Formula:
NaFe3+(AsO4)F
Crystallography of Maxwellite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P2/m
Cell Parameters:
a = 7.16 Å, b = 8.78 Å, c = 6.68 Å
β = 114.58°
β = 114.58°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.815 : 1 : 0.761
Unit Cell V:
381.88 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Slightly elongated to blocky crystals.
Forms on type material: {013}, {526}, {526}, {011}.
Forms on type material: {013}, {526}, {526}, {011}.
Crystal Structure
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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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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) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0014873 | Maxwellite | Cooper M A, Hawthorne F C (1995) The crystal structure of maxwellite Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Monatshefte 1995 97-104 | 1995 | Squaw Creek, Catron County, New Mexico, USA | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
3.290 Å | (100) |
2.614 Å | (80) |
3.039 Å | (75) |
4.844 Å | (70) |
2.637 Å | (50) |
3.642 Å | (35) |
3.437 Å | (35) |
Comments:
Original description
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Stage 4a: Earth’s earliest continental crust | >4.4-3.0 |
20 : Acidic volcanic rocks | |
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
45a : [Sulfates, arsenates, selenates, antimonates] | |
45b : [Other oxidized fumarolic minerals] |
Type Occurrence of Maxwellite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Red aggregates to 3 mm and as blocky to short prismatic euhedral to subhedral crystals up to 1 mm long.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 166613.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Formed as a rarity in miarolitic cavities in rhyolite adjacent to high-temperature veins in a hydrothermal tin deposit.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Maxwellite
Other Language Names for Maxwellite
Relationship of Maxwellite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of this group:
Arsenatrotitanite | NaTi(AsO4)O | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
Durangite | NaAl(AsO4)F | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
Isokite | CaMg(PO4)F | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
Kononovite | NaMg(SO4)F | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
Lacroixite | NaAl(PO4)F | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
Panasqueiraite | CaMg(PO4)(OH,F) | Mon. |
Reznitskyite | CaMg(VO4)F | Mon. 2/m : B2/b |
Tilasite | CaMg(AsO4)F | Mon. |
Tilasite-Isokite Series |
Forms a series with:
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
11 photos of Maxwellite associated with Tripuhyite | Fe3+Sb5+O4 |
2 photos of Maxwellite associated with Mordenite | (Na2,Ca,K2)4(Al8Si40)O96 · 28H2O |
2 photos of Maxwellite associated with Pseudobrookite | Fe2TiO5 |
1 photo of Maxwellite associated with Adelite | CaMg(AsO4)(OH) |
1 photo of Maxwellite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
8.BH. | Crimsonite | PbFe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BH. | Reznitskyite | CaMg(VO4)F |
8.BH. | Cuprozheshengite | Pb4CuZn2(AsO4)2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BH. | Zheshengite | Pb4ZnZn2(AsO4)2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BH. | Peterchinite | Zn3Zn2(OH)6As[O3(OH)3] |
8.BH.05 | Thadeuite | Ca(Mg,Fe2+)3(PO4)2(OH,F)2 |
8.BH.10 | Durangite | NaAl(AsO4)F |
8.BH.10 | Isokite | CaMg(PO4)F |
8.BH.10 | Lacroixite | NaAl(PO4)F |
8.BH.10 | Panasqueiraite | CaMg(PO4)(OH,F) |
8.BH.10 | Kononovite | NaMg(SO4)F |
8.BH.10 | Arsenatrotitanite | NaTi(AsO4)O |
8.BH.15 | Drugmanite | Pb2(Fe3+,Al)(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)2 |
8.BH.20 | Bjarebyite | (Ba,Sr)(Mn2+,Fe2+,Mg)2Al2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
8.BH.20 | Cirrolite | Ca3Al2(PO4)3(OH)3 (?) |
8.BH.20 | Kulanite | Ba(Fe2+,Mn2+,Mg)2(Al,Fe3+)2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
8.BH.20 | Penikisite | Ba(Mg,Fe2+,Ca)2Al2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
8.BH.20 | Perloffite | Ba(Mn2+,Fe2+)2Fe3+2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
8.BH.20 | Johntomaite | BaFe2+2Fe3+2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
8.BH.20 | Bjarebyite Group | |
8.BH.20 | Strontioperloffite | SrMn2+2Fe3+2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
8.BH.20 | Plumboperloffite | PbMn2+2Fe3+2(PO4)3(OH)3 |
8.BH.25 | Bertossaite | (Li,Na)2(Ca,Fe2+,Mn2+)Al4(PO4)4(OH,F)4 |
8.BH.25 | Palermoite | (Li,Na)2(Sr,Ca)Al4(PO4)4(OH)4 |
8.BH.25 | Natropalermoite | Na2SrAl4(PO4)4(OH)4 |
8.BH.30 | Carminite | PbFe3+2(AsO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BH.30 | Sewardite | CaFe3+2(AsO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BH.35 | Adelite | CaMg(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BH.35 | Arsendescloizite | PbZn(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BH.35 | Austinite | CaZn(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BH.35 | Cobaltaustinite | CaCo(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BH.35 | Conichalcite | CaCu(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BH.35 | Duftite | PbCu(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BH.35 | Gabrielsonite | PbFe3+(As3+O3)O |
8.BH.35 | Nickelaustinite | CaNi(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BH.35 | Tangeite | CaCu(VO4)(OH) |
8.BH.35 | Duftite-alpha | PbCu(AsO4)(OH) |
8.BH.35 | Gottlobite | CaMg(VO4)(OH) |
8.BH.35 | Hermannroseite | CaCu(PO4)(OH) |
8.BH.40 | Čechite | PbFe2+(VO4)(OH) |
8.BH.40 | Descloizite | PbZn(VO4)(OH) |
8.BH.40 | Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
8.BH.40 | Pyrobelonite | PbMn2+(VO4)(OH) |
8.BH.40 | Khorixasite | (Bi0.67◻0.33)Cu(VO4)(OH) |
8.BH.45 | Bayldonite | PbCu3(AsO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BH.45 | Vésigniéite | BaCu3(VO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BH.50 | Paganoite | NiBi(AsO4)O |
8.BH.55 | Harrisonite | Ca(Fe2+,Mg)6(PO4)2(SiO4)2 |
8.BH.55 | Jagowerite | BaAl2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
8.BH.60 | Attakolite | CaMn2+Al4(SiO3OH)(PO4)3(OH)4 |
8.BH.65 | Leningradite | PbCu3(VO4)2Cl |
8.BH.70 | Katiarsite | KTiO(AsO4) |
8.BH.70 | Yurgensonite | K2SnTiO2(AsO4)2 |
8.BH.75 | Melanarsite | K3Cu7Fe3+O4(AsO4)4 |
8.BH.80 | Moraskoite | Na2Mg(PO4)F |
8.BH.80 | Evseevite | Na2Mg(AsO4)F |
8.BH.85 | Piccoliite | NaCaMn3+2(AsO4)2O(OH) |
Fluorescence of Maxwellite
Not fluorescent in UV.
Other Information
Notes:
Slowly soluble in HCl and HNO3, and readily soluble in hot H2SO4.
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 Maxwellite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-2605.html
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References for Maxwellite
Reference List:
forum.amiminerals.it (n.d.) http://forum.amiminerals.it/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=18081&sid=7d8b1ed865c3dde7afc6276b9d04529f
Localities for Maxwellite
Locality List
- 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.
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
USA (TL) | |
| The Mineralogical Record: 20 (5) +2 other references |
| Northrop et al. (1996) |
Northrop et al. (1996) | |
Northrop et al. (1996) |
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Squaw Creek Mine, Taylor Creek Mining District, Catron County, New Mexico, USA