Mineral - Arthurite
Arthurite
Chemical Properties
Mineral Class
Phosphates
Toxicity
middle
Formula
CuFe³⁺₂(AsO₄,PO₄,SO₄)₂(OH)₂ · 4H₂O
Unit Cell
a=10.19 b=9.65 c=5.60 β=92° Z=2
Physical Properties
Hardness
3 - 4
Streak
yellowgreengreen yellow
Density
Normal (2-3,5)
Cleavage
Fracture
Tenacity
Brittle
Optical Properties
Color
green
Birefringence
0.060
Luster
Vitreous
Transparency
translucent,
transparent
Pleochroism
X: Hellgrün
Y: Grün-Grau
Z: Dunkelgrün
Geomineralogical Properties
Crystal System
monoclinic
Point Group
monoclinic-prismatic - 2/m
Space Group
P2 1 /c (14)
Habit
crusty, spherical, acicular, prismatic, radial
Formation
In the oxidation zone of copper deposits, from the alteration of arsenopyrite or enargite
Paragenesis
Twinning
Rarity
Rarely
Synonyms
Arthurite
Composition
Elements
Mass
SO₃
3.20
P₂O₅
5.50
As₂O₅
31.30
Fe₂O₃
29.70
CuO
15.30
H₂O
15.00
England (Davis & Hey 1964)
Groups and Members
Arthurite-Group
Name and first discovery : Named after fellow mineralogists Arthur Edward Russell (1878-1964) and Arthur William Kingsbury (1906-1968). First described in 1964.
Chemistry :
Synonyms :
Varieties :
Abbreviation : Atu
literature
Davis, R. J., & Hey, M. H. (1964). Arthurite, a new copper—iron arsenate from Cornwall. Mineralogical magazine and journal of the Mineralogical Society , 33 (266), 937-941.