Pyrolusite Mineral Data

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General Pyrolusite Information

Chemical Formula:

MnO2

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 86.94 gm

Manganese 63.19 % Mn 100.00 % MnO₂

Oxygen 36.81 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Mn⁴⁺O₂

Environment:

Sedimentary, hydrothermal, and secondary.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1827

Locality:

Common world wide. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

From the Greek, pyro and louein, "fire" and "to wash," because it was used to remove the greenish color imparted to glass by iron compounds.

Name Pronunciation:

Pyrolusite + Pronunciation

Synonym:

ICSD 73716

PDF 24-735

Polianite

Wad

Pyrolusite Image

Images:

Pyrolusite

Comments: Steel-gray metallic prismatic pyrolusite crystals.
Location: Hori Blatna, Czech Republic. Scale: See Photo.
© Jeff Weissman / Photographic Guide to Mineral Species

Pyrolusite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:c = 1:0.65148

Cell Dimensions:

a = 4.39, c = 2.86, Z = 2; V = 55.12 Den(Calc)= 5.24

Crystal System:

Tetragonal - Ditetragonal DipyramidalH-M Symbol (4/m 2/m 2/m) Space Group: P 4/mnm

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 3.14(1), 1.63(0.5), 2.41(0.5),

Forms:

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Forms: ( 0 1 1) ( 1 2 0) ( 1 1 1) ( 1 1 0)

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Crystal Structure:

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Wyckoff R W G , Crystal Structures , 1 (1963) p.239-444, Second edition. Interscience Publishers, New York, New York, Note: beta phase of MnO2, rutile structure

Physical Properties of Pyrolusite

Cleavage:

{110} Perfect

Color:

Steel gray, Iron gray, Bluish gray.

Density:

4.4 - 5.06, Average = 4.73

Diaphaneity:

Opaque

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Dendritic - Branching "tree-like" growths of great complexity (e.g. pyrolusite).

Habit:

Earthy - Dull, clay-like texture with no visible crystalline affinities, (e.g. howlite).

Habit:

Reniform - "Kidney like" in shape (e.g.. hematite).

Hardness:

6-6.5 - Orthoclase-Pyrite

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Sub Metallic

Magnetism:

Nonmagnetic

Streak:

black

Optical Properties of Pyrolusite

Optical Data:

Uniaxial (?).

NCalc= 3.06 - from Gladstone-Dale relationship (KC = 0.394) where Ncalc=Dcalc*KC+1
NCalc= 2.86 - from Gladstone-Dale relationship (KC = 0.394) where Ncalc=Dmeas*KC+1

RL Anisotrophism:

Strong in yellow.

RL Bireflectance:

Weak, yellow to yellow-gray.

RL Color:

White with creamy yellow tint.

Reflectivity

**Standardized Intensity (100%) Reflection Spectra of Pyrolusite in Air**
λ	R₁	R₂	∑ R₁(λ)	∑ R₂(λ)
400 nm	18.40	29.40
420 nm	18.60	30.00
440 nm	18.80	30.60
460 nm	18.90	31.20
480 nm	19.00	31.60
500 nm	19.00	31.70
520 nm	18.90	31.60
540 nm	18.80	31.40
560 nm	18.60	31.20
580 nm	18.50	30.80
600 nm	18.40	30.40
620 nm	18.30	30.00
640 nm	18.20	29.50
660 nm	18.20	28.90
680 nm	18.10	28.40
700 nm	18.10	28.00

**Calculated Relative Intensity Colors of Pyrolusite in Air**
Relative Intensity	0%	50%	100%	150%	200%	250%	300%	350%	400%	450%	480%
R₁
R₂

Calculated Properties of Pyrolusite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=4.94 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Pyrolusite =5.24 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0001766733
Boson Index = 0.9998233267

Photoelectric:

PE_Pyrolusite= 16.61 barns/electron
U=PE_Pyrolusite x rElectron Density= 82.07 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Pyrolusite is Not Radioactive

Pyrolusite Classification

Dana Class:

04.04.01.04 (04)Simple Oxides

(04.04)with a cation charge of 4+ (A++++ O2)

(04.04.01)Rutile group (Tetragonal: P4/mnm)

04.04.01.01 Rutile TiO2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.04.01.02 Ilmenorutile (Ti,Nb,Fe)O2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.04.01.03 Struverite? (Ti,Ta,Fe)O2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.04.01.04 Pyrolusite MnO2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.04.01.05 Cassiterite SnO2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.04.01.06 Plattnerite PbO2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.04.01.07 Argutite GeO2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.04.01.08 Squawcreekite? (Fe,Sb,W)O4•(H2O) P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.04.01.09 Stishovite SiO2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

Strunz Class:

04.DB.05 04 - OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodate

04.D - Metal:Oxygen = 1:2 and similar

04.DB -With medium-sized cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra

04.DB.05 Argutite GeO2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.DB.05 Cassiterite SnO2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.DB.05 Rutile TiO2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.DB.05 Pyrolusite MnO2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.DB.05 Plattnerite PbO2 P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.DB.05 Varlamoffite* (Sn,Fe)(O,OH)2 P 4₁/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.DB.05 Squawcreekite? (Fe,Sb,W)O4•(H2O) P 4/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

04.DB.05 Tugarinovite MoO2 P 2₁/n 2/m

04.DB.05 Tripuhyite FeSbO4 P 4₁/mnm 4/m 2/m 2/m

Other Pyrolusite Information

References:

NAME( Sinkankas66) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(AntBidBlaNic3)

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

Pyrolusite

MnO2
Dana No: 04.04.01.04 Strunz No: 04.DB.05
Locality:

Notes: