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Beraunite

Iron phosphate mineral


Iron phosphate mineral

FieldValue
nameBeraunite
categoryPhosphate minerals
imageBeraunite-Kidwellite-214676.jpg
imagesize260px
captionCrystalline beraunite on green kidwellite, Coon Creek Mine, Polk County, Arkansas, US. Size: 3.4 × 3.3 × 2.8 cm
formulaFe2+ Fe3+5(OH)5(PO4)4·4H2O
IMAsymbolBru
strunz8.DC.27
systemMonoclinic
classPrismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)
symmetryC2/c
unit cella = 20.953(8) Å, b = 5.171(1) Å, c = 19.266(4) Å; β = 93.34°; Z = 4
colorDull greenish to greenish brown when fresh, may be color banded; reddish brown to hyacinth-red, blood-red on exposure
habitTabular crystals common, may be in coarse radially fibrous aggregates,
twinningOn {100}, may be interpenetrant
cleavageOn {100}, good
mohs3–4
lusterVitreous, pearly on cleavages, resinous on fractures
streakOlive-drab when fresh; yellow, brownish yellow on exposure
diaphaneityTranslucent
gravity2.8–3.08 (measured); 2.894 (calculated)
opticalpropBiaxial (+)
refractivenα = 1.775 nβ = 1.786 nγ = 1.815
birefringenceδ = 0.040
pleochroismX = pale flesh-pink, yellow, blue-green; Y = pale flesh-pink, yellow, pale olive-green; Z = carnelian-red, reddish brown, olive-green.
2VMeasured: 30° to 60°, Calculated: 66°
references

(same H-M symbol) globular or discoidal, and in crusts | length fast/slow =

Beraunite is an iron phosphate mineral. It was first described by August Breithaupt for an occurrence in Beraun currently in the Czech Republic. Beraunite occurs as a secondary mineral in iron ore deposits, and as an alteration product of primary phosphate minerals in granite pegmatites.

Beraunite crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system with point group 2/m. Beraunite's formula is Fe2+ Fe3+5(OH)5(PO4)4·4H2O. Aluminium and zinc may substitute in the structure.

Occurrence

Beraunite occurs as a secondary mineral in iron ore deposits and as an alteration product of primary phosphates minerals in granite pegmatites. It is found as an alteration product of triphylite at the Big Chief and Hesnard mines, Keystone, Pennington County, South Dakota, New Hampshire, in Arkansas, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the United States. It is also found in Ireland, Germany, and the Czech Republic.

Structure

It occurs as fibrous greenish-black to brown nodules. The chemical analysis of beraunite often show small and irrational amounts of ferrous iron. The chain segments in Beraunite are one and two octahedral in length. Beraunite has two different types which are Zn-rich and Al-rich Beraunites, those two types have variations in data between those taken by Krsano in the X-ray powder diffraction experiment and those in the literature. Phosphate minerals have special characteristics about their chemical composition. The polyatomic complex of iron-oxygen octahedral face is sharing triplets corner to four other octahedral in the arrangement of atoms of the basic iron phosphates like dufrenite, rockbridgeite, and Beraunite. This complex is linked together by the phosphate tetrahedra.

References

References

  1. Warr, L.N.. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine.
  2. [http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/beraunite.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy]
  3. [http://www.mindat.org/min-628.html Mindat.org]
  4. [http://www.webmineral.com/data/Beraunite.shtml Webmineral data]
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