Libethenite Mineral Data

Libethenite Mineral Data +

General Libethenite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu2(PO4)(OH)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 239.07 gm

Copper 53.16 % Cu 66.55 % CuO

Phosphorus 12.96 % P 29.69 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 0.42 % H 3.77 % H₂O

Oxygen 33.46 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Cu₂(PO₄)(OH)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1823

Locality:

Lubietova (German Livethen), Czechoslovakia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after its locality.

Synonym:

Chinoite

ICSD 120445

PDF 36-404

Libethenite Image

Images:

Libethenite

Comments: Rich pine green crystals of libethenite on matrix.
Location: Tyrone, Grant Co., New Mexico. USA. Scale: Crystal size to 2mm.
© John Veevaert

Images:

Libethenite

Comments: Dark to light green pseudo-octahedral crystals of libethenite to 1.5mm on matrix.
Location: KOV pit, Kolwezi, Katanga, Congo. Scale: Picture size 5 mm.
© Tom Loomis / Dakota Matrix

Libethenite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.9591:1:0.6998

Cell Dimensions:

a = 8.1, b = 8.445, c = 5.91, Z = 4; V = 404.27 Den(Calc)= 3.93

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic - DipyramidalH-M Symbol (2/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: Pnnm

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 2.63(1), 4.81(1), 5.85(0.9),

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Crystal Structure:

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Cordsen A , The Canadian Mineralogist , 16 (1978) p.153-157, A crystal-structure refinement of libethenite

Physical Properties of Libethenite

Cleavage:

[100] Indistinct, [010] Indistinct

Color:

Green, Dark green, Blackish green, Light olive green, Dark olive green.

Density:

3.6 - 4, Average = 3.8

Diaphaniety:

Translucent to subtranslucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Generally displayed by glasses and most non-metallic minerals.

Habit:

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

Habit:

Globular - Spherical, or nearly so, rounded forms (e.g. wavellite).

Habit:

Prismatic - Crystals Shaped like Slender Prisms (e.g. tourmaline).

Hardness:

4 - Fluorite

Luminescence:

None.

Luster:

Vitreous - Greasy

Streak:

light green

Optical Properties of Libethenite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= -0.088 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= -0.052 (Good) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1897,KPDmeas= 0.1961,KC= 0.1803

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=1.702, b=1.745, g=1.789, bire=0.0870, 2V(Calc)=88, 2V(Meas)=80-90. Dispersion relatively strong.

Pleochroism (x):

Calculated Properties of Libethenite

Electron Density:

r_electron=3.75 gm/cc
note: r_Libethenite=3.93 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00016
Boson Index = 0.99984

Photoelectric:

PE_Libethenite= 24.11 barns/electron
U=PE_Libethenite x r_electron= 90.38 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Libethenite is Not Radioactive

Libethenite Classification

Dana Class:

41.6.6.2 (41)Anhydrous Phosphates, etc. Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(41.6)where (A)2 (XO4) Zq

(41.6.6)Dana Group

41.6.6.1 Olivenite Cu2AsO4(OH) P 2₁/n 2/m

41.6.6.2 Libethenite Cu2(PO4)(OH) Pnnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

41.6.6.3 Adamite Zn2(AsO4)(OH) Pnnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

41.6.6.4 Eveite Mn2(AsO4)(OH) Pnnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

41.6.6.5 Zincolibethenite! CuZn(PO4)OH Pnnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

VII/B.06-10 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

VII/B - Waterfree phosphates with unfamiliar anions F, Cl, O,OH, cations of medium size: Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pseudomalachite group and related compounds

VII/B.06 - Adamite group, Libethenite - Paradamite

VII/B.06-10 Libethenite Cu2(PO4)(OH) Pnnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/B.06-20 Olivenite Cu2AsO4(OH) P 2₁/n 2/m

VII/B.06-30 Adamite Zn2(AsO4)(OH) Pnnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/B.06-40 Eveite Mn2(AsO4)(OH) Pnnm 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/B.06-50 Tarbuttite Zn2(PO4)(OH) P1 1

VII/B.06-60 Paradamite Zn2(AsO4)(OH) P1 1

Other Libethenite Information

References:

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

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

Libethenite

Cu2(PO4)(OH)
Dana No: 41.6.6.2 Strunz No: VII/B.06-10
Locality:

Notes: