Christelite Mineral Data

Christelite Mineral Data

General Christelite Information

Chemical Formula:

Zn3Cu2(SO4)2(OH)6·4(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 689.49 gm

Zinc 28.45 % Zn 35.41 % ZnO

Copper 18.43 % Cu 20.75 % Cu₂O

Hydrogen 2.05 % H 18.29 % H₂O

Sulfur 9.30 % S 23.22 % SO₃

Oxygen 41.77 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 97.68 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Zn₃Cu₂(SO₄)₂(OH)₆·4(H₂O)

Environment:

Presumably in a secondary assemblage.

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1995 (Dana # Added)

Locality:

The San Francisco mine, Sierra Groda, northeast of Antofagasta, in the 2nd region of northern Chile. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after Mrs. Christel Gebhard-Giesen (1950- ) who discovered the mineral.

Synonym:

ICSD 404835

IMA1995-030

PDF 49-1865

Christelite Image

Images:

Christelite Paratacamite

Comments: Robins-egg blue christelite with dark green paratacamite on matrix.
Location: San Francisco mine, Sierra Gorda, Chile. Scale: 3 cm.
© John Veevaert

Christelite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.8543:1:1.6527

Cell Dimensions:

a = 5.415, b = 6.338, c = 10.475, Z = 1; alpha = 94.633°, beta = 90.216°, gamma = 90.667° V = 358.30 Den(Calc)= 3.20

Crystal System:

Triclinic - PinacoidalH-M Symbol ( 1) Space Group: P1

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 5.23(1), 10.459(0.82), 3.486(0.54),

Physical Properties of Christelite

Cleavage:

[001] Perfect

Color:

Greenish blue.

Density:

2.98 - 3.14, Average = 3.06

Diaphaniety:

Transparent

Habit:

Bladed - Aggregates of thin lath-like crystals (e.g. kyanite).

Hardness:

2-3 - Gypsum-Calcite

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

bright greenish blue

Optical Properties of Christelite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.026 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.068 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1936,KPDmeas= 0.2025,KC= 0.2078

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.5977, b=1.6259, g=1.6354, bire=0.0377

Calculated Properties of Christelite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.00 gm/cc
note: r_Christelite=3.06 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.01256
Boson Index = 0.98744

Photoelectric:

PE_Christelite= 22.42 barns/electron
U=PE_Christelite x r_electron= 67.28 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Christelite is Not Radioactive

Christelite Classification

Dana Class:

31.6.3.2 (31)Hydrated Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(31.6)where (A+ B++)5 (XO4)2 Zq·x(H2O)

(31.6.3)Dana Group

31.6.3.1 Ktenasite (Cu,Zn)5(SO4)2(OH)6·6(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

31.6.3.2 Christelite ! Zn3Cu2(SO4)2(OH)6·4(H2O) P1 1

Strunz Class:

VI/D.03-65 VI - Sulfates,Chromates,Molybdates and Tungstates

VI/D - Water-bearing sulfates with unfamiliar anions. cations of medium size

VI/D.03 - Langite series, Posnjakite - Nakuriite

VI/D.03-10 Posnjakite Cu4(SO4)(OH)6·(H2O) C 2/c 2/m

VI/D.03-20 Langite Cu4(SO4)(OH)6·2(H2O) Pc m

VI/D.03-30 Wroewolfeite Cu4(SO4)(OH)6·2(H2O) Pc m

VI/D.03-40 Namuwite (Zn,Cu)4(SO4)(OH)6·4(H2O) Unk Hex

VI/D.03-50 Guarinoite (Zn,Co,Ni)6(SO4)(OH,Cl)10·5(H2O) P 6₃/m,P 6₃, or P 6₃22 Hex

VI/D.03-55 Theresemagnanite (Co,Zn,Ni)6(SO4)(OH,Cl)10·8(H2O) P 6₃ 6

VI/D.03-60 Schulenbergite (Cu,Zn)7(SO4,CO3)2(OH)10·3(H2O) P 3 or P 3- Trig

VI/D.03-65 Christelite Zn3Cu2(SO4)2(OH)6·4(H2O) P1 1

VI/D.03-70 Ktenasite (Cu,Zn)5(SO4)2(OH)6·6(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

VI/D.03-75 Ramsbeckite (Cu,Zn)15(SO4)4(OH)22·6(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

VI/D.03-80 Campigliaite Cu4Mn(SO4)2(OH)6·4(H2O) C 2 2

VI/D.03-90 Nakauriite (Mn,Ni,Cu)8(SO4)4(CO3)(OH)6·48(H2O) Unk Ortho

Other Christelite Information

References:

NAME( MinRec) PHYS. PROP.(Eur. J. Min.,Vol.8,1996) OPTIC PROP.(MinRec)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Christelite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - Google Images
4 - Google Scholar
5 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
6 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
7 - MinDAT
8 - MinMax(Deutsch)
9 - MinMax(English)
10 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
11 - QUT Mineral Atlas
12 - Ruff.Info

Search for Christelite using:

[ALTAVISTA] [AOL] [All-The-Web] [HotBot] [Ixquick] [MAMMA] [MSN.COM] [Netscape] [Scirus] [Teoma] [Wikipedia] [YAHOO]

Visit our Advertisers for Christelite :

AA Mineral Specimens

B & L Fine Minerals

Dan Weinrich Fine Minerals

Dan Weinrich Auctions

John Betts Fine Minerals

Mason's Minerals

Mineral News

Mineral of the Month Club

MineralsWeb Fine Minerals

The GeoZone

Wrights Rock Shop

Translate Christelite Mineral Data :

Ask about Christelite here :
Ask-A-Mineralogist from the Mineralogical Society of America
Mindat.org's Discussion Groups
Original Rockhounds Discussion Group
Rockhounds Discussion Group on Yahoo Groups
Mineral Discussion Forum from Fabre Minerals - also available in Español

Print or Cut-and-Paste your Christelite Specimen Label here :

Christelite

Zn3Cu2(SO4)2(OH)6·4(H2O)
Dana No: 31.6.3.2 Strunz No: VI/D.03-65
Locality:

Notes: