Namibite Mineral Data

Namibite Mineral Data +

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General Namibite Information

Chemical Formula:

Cu++Bi2(VO4)O2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 628.44 gm

Vanadium 8.11 % V 14.47 % V₂O₅

Copper 10.11 % Cu 12.66 % CuO

Bismuth 66.51 % Bi 74.14 % Bi₂O₃

Oxygen 15.28 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 101.27 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

CuBi₂(VO₄)O₂

IMA Status:

Approved IMA 1981

Locality:

Khorixas (formerly Welwitschia), northwestern Namibia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for the country in which it is found.

Synonym:

ICSD 89724

PDF 47-1773

Namibite Image

Images:

Namibite

Comments: Dark green crystals of namibite on matrix.
Location: Pucher Shaft, Schneeberg District, Erzgebirge, Saxony, Germany. Scale: Picture size 1.3 mm.
© Thomas Witzke / Abraxas-Verlag

Namibite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =3.2099:1:2.0073

Cell Dimensions:

a = 11.864, b = 3.696, c = 7.419, Z = 2; beta = 109.7° V = 306.28 Den(Calc)= 6.81

Crystal System:

MonoclinicSpace Group: C 2/m,Cm,C 2

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.018(1), 3.574(0.75), 5.58(0.7),

Crystal Structure:

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Kolitsch U , Giester G , American Mineralogist , 85 (2000) p.1298-1301, The crystal structure of namibite, Cu(BiO)2VO4(OH), and a revision, of its symmetry

Physical Properties of Namibite

Cleavage:

[100] Good

Color:

Dark green.

Density:

6.86

Diaphaniety:

Translucent

Habit:

Platy - Sheet forms (e.g. micas).

Hardness:

4.5-5 - Near Apatite

Streak:

pistachio green

Optical Properties of Namibite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.129 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.123 (Poor) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.1615,KPDmeas= 0.1603,KC= 0.1842

Optical Data:

Biaxial (-), a=2.1, 2V(Meas)=moderate.

Pleochroism (x):

yellow green.

Pleochroism (y):

pistachio green.

Pleochroism (z):

dark green.

Calculated Properties of Namibite

Electron Density:

r_electron=5.76 gm/cc
note: r_Namibite=6.81 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00027
Boson Index = 0.99973

Photoelectric:

PE_Namibite=1,271.11 barns/electron
U=PE_Namibite x r_electron=7,327.83 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Namibite is Not Radioactive

Namibite Classification

Dana Class:

38.5.9.1 (38)Anhydrous Phosphates, etc

(38.5)with miscellaneous formulae

(38.5.9)Dana Group

38.5.9.1 Namibite CuBi2(VO4)O2 C 2/m,Cm,C 2 Mono

38.5.9.2 Urusovite! Cu[AlAsO5] P 2₁/c 2/m

Strunz Class:

VII/B.28-70 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

VII/B - Waterfree phosphates with unfamiliar anions F, Cl, O, OH. cations of medium and big size: Mg, Cu, Zn, and Ca, Na, K, Ba, Pb

VII/B.28 - Carminite series

VII/B.28-10 Bertossaite Li2CaAl4(PO4)4(OH)4 Imaa,Iaa2 Ortho

VII/B.28-20 Palermoite (Sr,Ca)(Li,Na)2Al4(PO4)4(OH)4 I mmm 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/B.28-30 Attakolite (Ca,Sr)Mn(Al,Fe)4[(Si,P)O4]H(PO4)3(OH)4 C 2/m 2/m

VII/B.28-35 Sewardite! CaFe2(AsO4)2(OH)2 C ccm 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/B.28-40 Carminite PbFe2(AsO4)2(OH)2 C ccm 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/B.28-60 Leningradite PbCu3(VO4)Cl2 I bam 2/m 2/m 2/m

VII/B.28-70 Namibite CuBi2(VO4)O2 C 2/m,Cm,C 2 Mono

VII/B.28-80 Paganoite! (Ni,Co)BiAsO5 P1 1

Other Namibite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Dana8) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

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Namibite

Cu++Bi2(VO4)O2
Dana No: 38.5.9.1 Strunz No: VII/B.28-70
Locality:

Notes: