Vauxite Mineral Data

Vauxite Mineral Data +

[Newest Minerals] [Minerals for Sale] [Tsumeb Mine] [Mineral Auctions] [Mineral Gallery]
The Mineral Gallery's Exceptional Specimens and Mineral Hall of Fame
Visa and Mastercard are Welcome

General Vauxite Information

Chemical Formula:

Fe++Al2(PO4)2(OH)2·6(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 441.86 gm

Aluminum 12.21 % Al 23.08 % Al₂O₃

Iron 12.64 % Fe 16.26 % FeO

Phosphorus 14.02 % P 32.12 % P₂O₅

Hydrogen 3.19 % H 28.54 % H₂O

Oxygen 57.93 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Fe²⁺Al₂(PO₄)₂(OH)₂·6(H₂O)

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1922

Locality:

Siglo XX tin mines, Llallagua, Potosi, Bolivia. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named for George Vaux, Jr. (1863-1927), mineral collector, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Synonym:

ICSD 24603

PDF 33-640

Vauxite Image

Images:

Vauxite Sigloite

Comments: Lime green, crystalline aggregate of sigloite on massive, blue vauxite.
Location: Llallagua, Potosi Department, Bolivia. Scale: Not Given.
© Lou Perloff / Photo Atlas of Minerals

Images:

Vauxite

Comments: Crystals of vauxite to 1.4mm.
Location: Siglo Mine, Llallagua, Bolivia. Scale: Picture size 3 cm.
© John Veevaert

Vauxite Crystallography

Axial Ratios:

a:b:c =0.7881:1:0.5309

Cell Dimensions:

a = 9.142, b = 11.599, c = 6.158, Z = 2; alpha = 98.29°, beta = 91.93°, gamma = 108.27° V = 613.24 Den(Calc)= 2.39

Crystal System:

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

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

By Intensity(I/I_o): 10.85(1), 5.457(0.2), 5.908(0.12),

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

Baur W H , Rama Rao B , American Mineralogist , 53 (1968) p.1025-1033, The crystal structure and the chemical composition of vauxite

Physical Properties of Vauxite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Sky blue, Dark blue.

Density:

2.4

Diaphaniety:

Transparent to Translucent

Fracture:

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

Habit:

Aggregates - Made of numerous individual crystals or clusters.

Habit:

Radial - Crystals radiate from a center without producing stellar forms (e.g. stibnite)

Habit:

Tabular - Form dimensions are thin in one direction.

Hardness:

3.5 - Copper Penny

Luminescence:

Fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous (Glassy)

Streak:

white

Optical Properties of Vauxite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.011 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.007 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2326,KPDmeas= 0.2317,KC= 0.2342

Optical Data:

Biaxial (+), a=1.551, b=1.555, g=1.562, bire=0.0110, 2V(Calc)=76, 2V(Meas)=32. Dispersion r > v strong.

Pleochroism (x):

colorless.

Pleochroism (y):

blue.

Pleochroism (z):

colorless.

Calculated Properties of Vauxite

Electron Density:

r_electron=2.42 gm/cc
note: r_Vauxite=2.39 gm/cc.

Fermion Index

Fermion Index = 0.00296
Boson Index = 0.99704

Photoelectric:

PE_Vauxite= 4.73 barns/electron
U=PE_Vauxite x r_electron= 11.46 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)

Vauxite is Not Radioactive

Vauxite Classification

Dana Class:

42.11.14.1 (42)Hydrated Phosphates, etc., Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

(42.11)where (AB)4 (XO4)3 Zq · x(H2O)

(42.11.14)Dana Group

42.11.14.1 Vauxite FeAl2(PO4)2(OH)2·6(H2O) P1 1

42.11.14.2 Paravauxite FeAl2(PO4)2(OH)2·8(H2O) P1 1

42.11.14.3 Sigloite FeAl2(PO4)2(OH)3·5(H2O) P1 1

42.11.14.4 Gordonite MgAl2(PO4)2(OH)2·8(H2O) P1 1

42.11.14.5 Mangangordonite (Mn,Fe,Mg)Al2(PO4)2(OH)2·8(H2O) P1 1

42.11.14.6 Kastningite! (Mn,Fe,Mg)Al2(PO4)2(OH)2·8(H2O) P1 1

Strunz Class:

VII/D.09-10 VII - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates

VII/D - Water-bearing phosphates with unfamiliar anions, cations of medium size: Cu, Zn, Mn, Al, Fe

VII/D.09 - Vauxite - Pseudolaueite series

VII/D.09-10 Vauxite FeAl2(PO4)2(OH)2·6(H2O) P1 1

VII/D.09-20 Metavauxite FeAl2(PO4)2(OH)2·8(H2O) P 2₁/c 2/m

VII/D.09-25 Kastningite! (Mn,Fe,Mg)Al2(PO4)2(OH)2·8(H2O) P1 1

VII/D.09-30 Stewartite MnFe2(PO4)2(OH)2·8(H2O) P1 1

VII/D.09-40 Pseudolaueite MnFe2(PO4)2(OH)2·7-8(H2O) P 2₁/a 2/m

Other Vauxite Information

References:

NAME( Dana8) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Dana8)

Search for Vauxite using:

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

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

Translate Vauxite Mineral Data :

Ask about Vauxite 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 Vauxite Specimen Label here :

Vauxite

Fe++Al2(PO4)2(OH)2·6(H2O)
Dana No: 42.11.14.1 Strunz No: VII/D.09-10
Locality:

Notes: