Copiapite Mineral Data

Copiapite Mineral Data +

[Newest Minerals] [Equipment] [Analytical Services] [About Us] [Mineral Gallery] [eBay Store]
See Also: [Diamond Crystals] [Mineral News] [Hudson Institute] [Minerals on CDROM]
Rare Minerals, Meteorites, Equipment and Analytical Services
Excalibur Mineral Company, World leaders in the supply of rare species
Serving the scientific and collector communities since 1974

General Copiapite Information

Chemical Formula:

Fe++Fe+++4(SO4)6(OH)2·20(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 1,249.94 gm

Iron 22.34 % Fe 5.75 % FeO / 25.55 % Fe₂O₃

Hydrogen 3.39 % H 30.27 % H₂O

Sulfur 15.39 % S 38.43 % SO₃

Oxygen 58.88 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₄(SO₄)₆(OH)₂·20(H₂O)

Environment:

Oxidized iron sulfide deposits.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1833

Locality:

Copiapo, Chile. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality.

Synonym:

ICSD 10276

Janosite

Misy

PDF 35-583

Copiapite Image

Images:

Copiapite

Comments: Brownish yellow tabular crystals of copiapite.
Location: Saghand, near Yazd, Yadz Province, Iran. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Copiapite Rozenite Ferrinatrite

Comments: White powdery rozenite coating with yellow ferrinatrite on purple copiapite.
Location: Le Cetine Mine, Siena, Tuscany, Italy. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Copiapite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.3852:1:0.3933

Cell Dimensions:

a = 7.227, b = 18.76, c = 7.379, Z = 1; alpha = 91.46°, beta = 102.18°, gamma = 98.95° V = 965.69 Den(Calc)= 2.15

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 9.23(1), 18.4(1), 5.57(0.7),

Forms:

Mouse
Dbl Clk - Start-Stop Rotation
RMB - Cycle Display Modes
Drag1 - Manipulate Crystal
Drag2 - Resize
Keyboard
S - Stereo
I - Indicies
<space> - Start-Stop Rotation
F - Fit to Screen
M - Menu
Help on Above

Forms: [ 0 1 2] [ 1 2 0] [ 0 1 0] [ 1 0 1] [ 1 0 1] [ 1 0 0] [ 0 1 1] [ 0 0 1]

Warning: this large pop-up is very compute intensive and may not work well with some computers.

Crystal Structure:

Mouse
drag1 - LMB Manipulate Structure
drag2 - RMB Resize/Rotate
Keyboard
S - Stereo Pair on/off
H - Help Screen
I - Data Info
A - Atoms On/Off
P - Polyhedra On/Off
B - Bonds On/Off
Help on Above

Fanfani L , Nunzi A , Zanazzi P F , Zanzari A R , American Mineralogist , 58 (1973) p.314-322, The copiapite problem: The crystal structure of a ferrian copiapite

Physical Properties of Copiapite

Cleavage:

[010] Perfect

Color:

Green, Green yellow, Yellow, Yellow green, Golden yellow.

Density:

2.1

Diaphaniety:

Translucent

Fracture:

Uneven - Flat surfaces (not cleavage) fractured in an uneven pattern.

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Massive - Granular - Common texture observed in granite and other igneous rock.

Habit:

Scaly - Morphology like fish scales.

Hardness:

2.5 - Finger Nail

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Pearly

Magnetism:

Magnetic

Streak:

pale yellow

Optical Properties of Copiapite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.041 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.017 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2557,KPDmeas= 0.2617,KC= 0.2514

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.506-1.54, b=1.528-1.549, g=1.575-1.6, bire=0.0600-0.0690, 2V(Calc)=48-72, 2V(Meas)=45-74. Dispersion none.

Pleochroism (x):

none.

Pleochroism (y):

none.

Pleochroism (z):

none.

Calculated Properties of Copiapite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.19 gm/cc
note: r_Copiapite=2.15 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00617
Boson Index = 0.99383

Photoelectric:

PE_Copiapite= 7.42 barns/electron
U=PE_Copiapite x r_electron= 16.23 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Copiapite is Not Radioactive

Copiapite Classification

Dana Class:

31.10.5.1 (31)Hydrated Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(31.10)miscellaneous

(31.10.5)Copiapite Group

31.10.5.1 Copiapite FeFe4(SO4)6(OH)2·20(H2O) P1 1

31.10.5.2 Magnesiocopiapite MgFe4(SO4)6(OH)2·20(H2O) P1 1

31.10.5.3 Cuprocopiapite CuFe4(SO4)6(OH)2·20(H2O) P1 1

31.10.5.4 Ferricopiapite Fe2/3Fe4(SO4)6(OH)2·20(H2O) P1 1

31.10.5.5 Calciocopiapite CaFe4(SO4)6(OH)2·19(H2O) P1 1

31.10.5.6 Zincocopiapite ZnFe4(SO4)6(OH)2·18(H2O) P1 1

31.10.5.7 Aluminocopiapite Al2/3Fe4(SO4)6O(OH)2·20(H2O) P1 1

Strunz Class:

VI/D.10-50 VI - Sulfates,Chromates,Molybdates and Tungstates

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

VI/D.10 - Copiapite group, Botryogen - Chaidamuite

VI/D.10-10 Botryogen MgFe(SO4)2(OH)·7(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

VI/D.10-20 Zincobotryogen (Zn,Mg,Mn)Fe(SO4)2(OH)·7(H2O) P 2₁/n 2/m

VI/D.10-30 Calciocopiapite CaFe4(SO4)6(OH)2·19(H2O) P1 1

VI/D.10-40 Magnesiocopiapite MgFe4(SO4)6(OH)2·20(H2O) P1 1

VI/D.10-50 Copiapite FeFe4(SO4)6(OH)2·20(H2O) P1 1

VI/D.10-60 Cuprocopiapite CuFe4(SO4)6(OH)2·20(H2O) P1 1

VI/D.10-70 Zincocopiapite ZnFe4(SO4)6(OH)2·18(H2O) P1 1

VI/D.10-80 Aluminocopiapite Al2/3Fe4(SO4)6O(OH)2·20(H2O) P1 1

VI/D.10-90 Ferricopiapite Fe2/3Fe4(SO4)6(OH)2·20(H2O) P1 1

VI/D.10-100 Guildite CuFe(SO4)2(OH)·4(H2O) P 2₁/m 2/m

VI/D.10-110 Chaidamuite (Zn,Fe)Fe(SO4)2(OH)·4(H2O) P1 1

Other Copiapite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

Search for Copiapite using:

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

Visit our Advertisers for Copiapite :
AA Mineral Specimens
B and L Minerals
Crystal Vaults
Dan Weinrich Fine Minerals
Dan Weinrich Auctions
e-Rocks Auctions
Excalibur Minerals
Exceptional Minerals
Fabre Minerals
Greenside Minerals
John Betts Fine Minerals
Masons Minerals
Mineral News
Mineral of the Month Club
MineralsWeb Fine Minerals
Rockshop.cz Kalat Fine Minerals
T G Fine Minerals
Wrights Rock Shop

Translate Copiapite Mineral Data :

Ask about Copiapite 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 Copiapite Specimen Label here :

Copiapite

Fe++Fe+++4(SO4)6(OH)2·20(H2O)
Dana No: 31.10.5.1 Strunz No: VI/D.10-50
Locality:

Notes: