Cyanotrichite Mineral Data

Cyanotrichite Mineral Data +

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General Cyanotrichite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu4Al2(SO4)(OH)12·2(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 644.33 gm

Aluminum 8.38 % Al 15.82 % Al₂O₃

Copper 39.45 % Cu 44.42 % Cu₂O

Hydrogen 2.50 % H 22.37 % H₂O

Sulfur 4.98 % S 12.43 % SO₃

Oxygen 44.70 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 95.03 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu₄Al₂(SO₄)(OH)₁₂·2(H₂O)

Environment:

Formed by the oxidation of copper ores together with other minerals of oxidation zones.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1839

Locality:

Moldava Noua (Moldawa, Új Moldova), Banat, Romania. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek, kyaneos, "blue" and triches, "hair," hence, blue hair.

Synonym:

Lettsomite

Cyanotrichite Image

Images:

Cyanotrichite

Comments: Blue, hairy crystals of cyanotrichite.
Location: Grandview mine, Grand Canyon, Coconino County, Arizona, USA. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Cyanotrichite Azurite

Comments: Blue, hairy crystals of cyanotrichite with dark-blue, blocky azurite on a green, malachite matrix.
Location: Maid of Sunshine Mine, Cochise County, Arizona, USA. Scale: See Image.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Images:

Cyanotrichite

Comments: Blue, acicular sprays of cyanotrichite on a gray matrix.
Location: Maid of Sunshine Mine, Cochise County, Arizona, USA. Scale: See Image.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Cyanotrichite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.8057:1:0.2299

Cell Dimensions:

a = 10.16, b = 12.61, c = 2.9, Z = 1; V = 371.54 Den(Calc)= 2.88

Crystal System:

OrthorhombicSpace Group: Unk

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 10.2(1), 3.88(0.9), 5.26(0.8),5.47(0.5), 2.03(0.4), 2.39(0.4), 3.04(0.4), 3.38(0.4),

Physical Properties of Cyanotrichite

Cleavage:

[???] Good

Color:

Sky blue, Light blue, Dark blue.

Density:

2.74 - 2.95, Average = 2.84

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Acicular - Occurs as needle-like crystals.

Habit:

Druse - Crystal growth in a cavity which results in numerous crystal tipped surfaces.

Habit:

Spherical - Spherical, rounded aggregates.

Hardness:

2 - Gypsum

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Silky

Streak:

pale blue

Optical Properties of Cyanotrichite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.072 (Fair) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.083 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2153,KPDmeas= 0.2179,KC= 0.2347

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.588, b=1.617, g=1.655, bire=0.0670, 2V(Calc)=86, 2V(Meas)=82. Dispersion relatively strong.

Pleochroism (x):

none.

Pleochroism (y):

none.

Pleochroism (z):

none.

Calculated Properties of Cyanotrichite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.81 gm/cc
note: r_{Cyanotrichite}=2.85 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00059
Boson Index = 0.99941

Photoelectric:

PE_{Cyanotrichite}= 17.46 barns/electron
U=PE_{Cyanotrichite} x r_electron= 49.02 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Cyanotrichite is Not Radioactive

Cyanotrichite Classification

Dana Class:

31.2.1.1 (31)Hydrated Sulfates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(31.2)where (A+ B++)6 (XO4) Zq·x(H2O)

(31.2.1)Dana Group

31.2.1.1 Cyanotrichite Cu4Al2(SO4)(OH)12·2(H2O) Unk Ortho

Strunz Class:

VI/D.08-20 VI - Sulfates,Chromates,Molybdates and Tungstates

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

VI/D.08 - Spangolite - Glaucocerinite series

VI/D.08-05 Bechererite! (Zn,Cu)6Zn2(OH)13[(S,Si)(O,OH)4]2 P 3 3

VI/D.08-10 Spangolite Cu6Al(SO4)(OH)12Cl·3(H2O) P 3₁c 3m

VI/D.08-20 Cyanotrichite Cu4Al2(SO4)(OH)12·2(H2O) Unk Ortho

VI/D.08-30 Carbonate-cyanotrichite Cu4Al2(CO3,SO4)(OH)12·2(H2O) Unk Ortho

VI/D.08-35 Camerolaite Cu4Al2[HSbO4,SO4](OH)10(CO3)·2(H2O) P 2₁ ? 2

VI/D.08-40 Woodwardite Cu4Al2(SO4)(OH)12·2-4(H2O) Unk Hex

VI/D.08-42 Hydrowoodwardite! Cu1-xAlx(OH)2(SO4)x/2·n(H2O)with0<x<0.67andn>3x/2 R 3m 3 2/m

VI/D.08-45 Zincowoodwardite! [Zn1-xAlx(OH)2][(SO4)x/2(H2O)n] P 3- or R 3m 3

VI/D.08-45* Zincowoodwardite-1T! [Zn1BxAlx(OH)2][(SO4)x/2·n(H2O)],x=0.33,n.0.96 P 3 3

VI/D.08-45** Zincowoodwardite-3R! [Zn1BxAlx(OH)2][(SO4)x/2·n(H2O)],0.32<x<0.50,n=0.59 R 3m 3 2/m

VI/D.08-50 Chalcoalumite CuAl4(SO4)(OH)12·3(H2O) P 2₁ 2

VI/D.08-60 Nickelalumite (Ni,Cu)Al4[(SO4),(NO3)2](OH)12·3(H2O) P 2₁ 2

VI/D.08-70 Mbobomkulite (Ni,Cu)Al4(NO3,SO4)2(OH)12·3(H2O) P 2₁ 2

VI/D.08-80 Hydrombobomkulite (Ni,Cu)Al4(NO3,SO4)2(OH)12·14(H2O) Unk Mono

VI/D.08-90 Carrboydite (Ni,Cu)14Al9(SO4,CO3)6(OH)43·7(H2O) Unk Hex

VI/D.08-100 Zincaluminite Zn6Al6(SO4)2(OH)26·5(H2O) Unk Hex

VI/D.08-110 Glaucocerinite (Zn,Cu)5Al3(SO4)1.5(OH)16·9(H2O) Unk (HEX-R) Trig

Other Cyanotrichite Information

References:

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

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Cyanotrichite

Cu4Al2(SO4)(OH)12·2(H2O)
Dana No: 31.2.1.1 Strunz No: VI/D.08-20
Locality:

Notes: