Tarbuttite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Tarbuttite
Formula:
Zn2(PO4)(OH)
Colour:
White, colourless, yellow, red green or brown; colourless in transmitted light.
Lustre:
Vitreous, Pearly
Hardness:
3½
Specific Gravity:
4.12
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named after Percy Coventry Tarbutt ( - 24 May 1943), a Director of the Broken Hill Exploration Company who collected some of the first specimens at Broken Hill (now Kabwe), Zambia.
Type Locality:
A rare secondary zinc phosphate. A synthetic orthorhombic (libethenite-type) polymorph is known (Harrison et al., 1995).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3892
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3892:4
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
aa89ffda-467d-4665-a342-c3da2f10a344
IMA Classification of Tarbuttite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
Classification of Tarbuttite
8.BB.35
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 about 1:1
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 about 1:1
41.6.7.1
41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : A2(XO4)Zq
41 : ANHYDROUS PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
6 : A2(XO4)Zq
19.6.1
19 : Phosphates
6 : Phosphates of Zn
19 : Phosphates
6 : Phosphates of Zn
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tbt | 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 Tarbuttite
Vitreous, Pearly
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Comment:
Lustre pearly on the cleavage surfaces.
Colour:
White, colourless, yellow, red green or brown; colourless in transmitted light.
Streak:
White
Hardness:
3½ on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Perfect
On {010}, perfect.
On {010}, perfect.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
4.12 g/cm3 (Measured) 4.19 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Tarbuttite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.660 nβ = 1.705 nγ = 1.713
2V:
Measured: 50°
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.053
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:
High
Dispersion:
weak
Optical Extinction:
X (7°,58°); Y (159°,25°); Z (−86°,80°) [using (φ,ρ)].
Chemistry of Tarbuttite
Mindat Formula:
Zn2(PO4)(OH)
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Tarbuttite
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.55 Å, b = 5.7 Å, c = 6.47 Å
α = 102.68°, β = 102.81°, γ = 86.88°
α = 102.68°, β = 102.81°, γ = 86.88°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.974 : 1 : 1.135
Unit Cell V:
194.71 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
8
Morphology:
Crystals equant to short prismatic [001]. Commonly found as sheaf-like aggregates or as crusts. Individual crystals commonly rounded and deeply striated.
Crystal Structure
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0010630 | Tarbuttite | Cocco G, Fanfani L, Zanazzi P F (1966) The crystal structure of tarbuttite, Zn2(OH)PO4 Zeitschrift fur Kristallographie 123 321-329 |  | 1966 | Broken Hill, Rhodesia | 0 | 293 |
| 0012477 | Tarbuttite | Genkina E A, Maksimov B A, Mel'nikov O K (1985) Crystal structure of synthetic tarbutite Zn2[PO4](OH) Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR 282 314-317 | 1985 | synthetic | 0 | 293 | |
| 0014936 | Tarbuttite | Fanfani L, Zanazzi P F (1965) Dati strutturali sulla tarbuttite Periodico di Mineralogia 34 539-545 | 1965 | Broken Hill, Rhodesia | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 6.17 Å | (100) |
| 2.058 Å | (30) |
| 2.782 Å | (25) |
| 3.697 Å | (20) |
| 2.882 Å | (19) |
| 2.980 Å | (12) |
| 2.971 Å | (12) |
Comments:
Kabwe, Zambia. ICDD 36-410.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals] | |
| 47c : [Carbonates, phosphates, borates, nitrates] |
Type Occurrence of Tarbuttite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Muséum Nationale d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France, 108.1886.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Upper portion of the oxidation zone where phosphatic solutions reacted with earlier formed hemimorphite and cerussite.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Tarbuttite
German:Tarbuttit
Russian:Тарбуттит
Simplified Chinese:三斜磷锌矿
Spanish:Tarbuttita
Traditional Chinese:三斜磷鋅礦
Relationship of Tarbuttite to other Species
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
| 41 photos of Tarbuttite associated with Hemimorphite | Zn4Si2O7(OH)2 · H2O |
| 40 photos of Tarbuttite associated with Skorpionite | Ca3Zn2(PO4)2(CO3)(OH)2 · H2O |
| 23 photos of Tarbuttite associated with Hydroxylapatite | Ca5(PO4)3(OH) |
| 16 photos of Tarbuttite associated with Smithsonite | ZnCO3 |
| 8 photos of Tarbuttite associated with Parahopeite | Zn3(PO4)2 · 4H2O |
| 8 photos of Tarbuttite associated with Hydrozincite | Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6 |
| 8 photos of Tarbuttite associated with Scholzite | CaZn2(PO4)2 · 2H2O |
| 6 photos of Tarbuttite associated with Limonite | |
| 6 photos of Tarbuttite associated with Pyromorphite | Pb5(PO4)3Cl |
| 4 photos of Tarbuttite associated with Hopeite | ZnZn2(PO4)2 · 4H2O |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 8.BB. | Tilasite | CaMg(AsO4)F |
| 8.BB.X | Arsenowagnerite | Mg2(AsO4)F |
| 8.BB. | Moabite | NiFe3+(PO4)O |
| 8.BB. | Karlditmarite | Cu9O4(PO4)2(SO4)2 |
| 8.BB. | Milkovoite | Cu4O(PO4)(AsO4) |
| 8.BB. | Paulgrothite | Cu9Fe3+O4(PO4)4Cl3 |
| 8.BB.05 | Amblygonite | LiAl(PO4)F |
| 8.BB.05 | Montebrasite | LiAl(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.05 | Tavorite | LiFe3+(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.10 | Triplite | Mn2+2(PO4)F |
| 8.BB.10 | Zwieselite | Fe2+2(PO4)F |
| 8.BB.15 | Sarkinite | Mn2+2(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.15 | Triploidite | Mn2+2(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.15 | Wagnerite | (Mg,Fe2+)2(PO4)F |
| 8.BB.15 | Wolfeite | Fe2+2(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.15 | Stanĕkite | (Mn2+,Fe2+,Mg)Fe3+(PO4)O |
| 8.BB.15 | Joosteite | Mn2+(Mn3+,Fe3+)(PO4)O |
| 8.BB.15 | Hydroxylwagnerite | Mg2(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.15 | Unnamed (Sb-analogue of Auriacusite) | Fe3+Cu2+[(Sb,As)O4]O |
| 8.BB.20 | Holtedahlite | Mg2(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.20 | Satterlyite | (Fe2+,Mg,Fe)12(PO4)5(PO3OH)(OH,O)6 |
| 8.BB.25 | Althausite | Mg4(PO4)2(OH,O)(F,◻) |
| 8.BB.30 | Adamite | Zn2(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Eveite | Mn2+2(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Libethenite | Cu2(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Olivenite | Cu2(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Zincolibethenite | CuZn(PO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Zincolivenite | CuZn(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.30 | Auriacusite | Fe3+Cu2+(AsO4)O |
| 8.BB.35 | Paradamite | Zn2(AsO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.40 | Barbosalite | Fe2+Fe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.40 | Hentschelite | CuFe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.40 | Lazulite | MgAl2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.40 | Scorzalite | Fe2+Al2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.40 | Wilhelmkleinite | ZnFe3+2(AsO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.45 | Trolleite | Al4(PO4)3(OH)3 |
| 8.BB.45 | Yaroshevskite | Cu9O2(VO4)4Cl2 |
| 8.BB.45 | Dokuchaevite | Cu8O2(VO4)3Cl3 |
| 8.BB.50 | Namibite | Cu(BiO)2(VO4)(OH) |
| 8.BB.50 | Aleutite | [Cu5O2](AsO4)(VO4) · (Cu,K,Pb,Rb,Cs,)Cl |
| 8.BB.52a | Ericlaxmanite | Cu4O(AsO4)2 |
| 8.BB.52b | Kozyrevskite | Cu4O(AsO4)2 |
| 8.BB.55 | Phosphoellenbergerite | (Mg,◻)2Mg12(PO4,PO3OH)6(PO3OH,CO3)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BB.55 | Popovite | Cu5O2(AsO4)2 |
| 8.BB.60 | Urusovite | CuAl(AsO4)O |
| 8.BB.65 | Theoparacelsite | Cu3(As2O7)(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.70 | Turanite | Cu5(VO4)2(OH)4 |
| 8.BB.75 | Stoiberite | Cu5(VO4)2O2 |
| 8.BB.80 | Fingerite | Cu11(VO4)6O2 |
| 8.BB.85 | Averievite | Cu6(VO4)2O2Cl2 |
| 8.BB.90 | Lipscombite | Fe2+Fe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
| 8.BB.90 | Richellite | CaFe3+2(PO4)2(OH,F)2 |
| 8.BB.90 | Zinclipscombite | ZnFe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2 |
Other Information
Notes:
May form pseudomorphs after smithsonite, descloizite and possibly also hemimorphite. May alter to parahopeite.
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 Tarbuttite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3892.html
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References for Tarbuttite
Reference List:
Spencer, L. J. (1908) On Hopeite and other zinc phosphates and associated minerals from the Broken Hill mines, North-Western Rhodesia. Mineralogical Magazine and Journal of the Mineralogical Society, 15 (68) 1-38 doi:10.1180/minmag.1908.015.68.02 p.22
Larsen, Esper S. (1921) The microscopic determination of the nonopaque minerals. Bulletin Vol. 679. US Geological Survey doi:10.3133/b679 p.141
Richmond, Wallace E. (1940) Crystal chemistry of the phosphates, arsenates and vanadates of the type A2XO4(Z) American Mineralogist, 25 (7) 441-479 p.475
Finney, J. J. (1966) The unit cell of tarbuttite, Zn2(PO4)(OH), and paradamite, Zn2(AsO4)(OH) American Mineralogist, 51 (7) 1218-1220
Cocco, G., Fanfani, L., Zanazzi, P. F. (1966) The crystal structure of tarbuttite, Zn2(OH)PO4. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials, 123 (5) 321-329 doi:10.1524/zkri.1966.123.5.321
Quick, S. M., Bank, G. (1973) Electron spin resonance of Cu2+ in tarbuttite mineral. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 6. 891-895 doi:10.1088/0022-3727/6/7/314
Hill, R. J., Milnes, A. R. (1974) Phosphate minerals from Reaphook Hill, Flinders Ranges, South Australia. Mineralogical Magazine, 39 (306) 684-695 doi:10.1180/minmag.1974.039.306.06
Harrison, William T. A., Vaughey, J. T., Dussack, Laurie L., Jacobson, Allan J., Martin, Theresa E., Stucky, Galen D. (1995) Two new adamite-type phases, CO2(OH)PO4 and Zn2(OH)PO4: Structure-directing effect of organic additives. Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 114. 151-158 doi:10.1006/jssc.1995.1022
Frost, Ray L. (2004) An infrared and Raman spectroscopic study of natural zinc phosphates. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 60 (7) 1439-1445 doi:10.1016/j.saa.2003.08.009
Dyar, M. D., Jawin, E. R., Breves, E., Marchand, G., Nelms, M., Lane, M. D., Mertzman, S. A., Bish, D. L., Bishop, J. L. (2014) Mössbauer parameters of iron in phosphate minerals: Implications for interpretation of martian data. American Mineralogist, 99 (5) 914-942 doi:10.2138/am.2014.4701
Localities for Tarbuttite
symbol to view information about a locality.
The 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).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Atlantic Ocean | |
| Gablina et al. (2018) |
Australia | |
| Birch et al. (1997) |
| Birch et al. (1997) |
| Johnston et al. (1978) |
Canada | |
| Paradis et al. (2015) |
| Paradis et al. (2015) |
China | |
| Lairen Lai and Nicheng Shi (1984) | |
Europe | |
| Berbain et al. (2012) | |
France | |
| Berbain et al. (2012) |
| Berbain et al. (2012) |
Namibia | |
| Borg et al. (2003) +1 other reference |
USA | |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
Zambia (TL) | |
| Nature (1907) +1 other reference |
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Kabwe Mine, Kabwe, Kabwe District, Central Province, Zambia