Quetzalcoatlite

(repeating unit)Zn6Cu3(TeO6)2(OH)6·AgxPbyClx+2yIMA symbolPzl[1]Strunz classification4.FE.45Dana classification34.6.3.1Crystal systemTrigonalCrystal classHexagonal scalenohedral (3m)
H-M symbol: (3 2/m)Space groupP3m1IdentificationColorBlue, green in transmitted lightCrystal habitneedle-like hexagonal crystals, crystalline crusts, spraysCleavageFair on {1010}FractureBrittleTenacityBrittleMohs scale hardness3LusterPearly, dullStreakPale blue, almost whiteDiaphaneityTransparentSpecific gravity6.05 (measured)Optical propertiesUniaxial (−)Birefringenceδ = 0.062Pleochroismblue-greenUltraviolet fluorescenceNoneSolubilityInsoluble in water, soluble in cold HCl and cold HNO3. Decomposes in KOH when heatedReferences[1][2][3][4][5]

Quetzalcoatlite is a rare tellurium oxysalt mineral with the formula Zn6Cu3(TeO6)2(OH)6 · AgxPbyClx+2y. It also contains large amounts of silver- and lead(II)chloride with the formula AgxPbyClx+2y (x+y≤2).[2] It has a Mohs hardness of 3 and it crystallizes in the trigonal system. It has a deep blue color. It was named after Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec and Toltec god of the sea, alluding to its color.[3][4][5] It is not to be confused with tlalocite, which has a similar color and habit.

Occurrence

Quetzalcoatlite was first identified in the Bambollita mine (La Oriental), Moctezuma, Municipio de Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico. It was later also found in another nearby mine, the Moctezuma mine, and it has also been found in mines in Arizona, Utah and California.[3] It occurs as a rare mineral in the oxidized zone of tellurium-bearing hydrothermal deposits and it is often associated with hessite, galena, bornite, cerussite, azurite, chlorargyrite, teineite, quartz, baryte, khinite, dugganite, and gold.[6]

References

  1. ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ Peter C. Burns; Joseph J. Pluth; Joseph V. Smith; Peter Eng; Ian Steele; Robert M. Housley (2000). "Quetzalcoatlite: A new octahedral-tetrahedral structure from a 2 × 2 × 40 µm3 crystal at the Advanced Photon Source-GSE-CARS Facility" (PDF). American Mineralogist. 85.
  3. ^ a b "Quetzalcoatlite: Quetzalcoatlite mineral information and data". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  4. ^ Barthelmy, Dave. "Quetzalcoatlite Mineral Data". webmineral.com. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  5. ^ Williams, Sidney A. (1973). "Quetzalcoatlite, Cu4Zn8(TeO3)3(OH)18, a new mineral from Moctezuma, Sonora" (PDF). Mineralogical Magazine. 39 (303): 261–263. Bibcode:1973MinM...39..261W. doi:10.1180/minmag.1973.039.303.01. S2CID 140683781. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  6. ^ "Handbook of mineralogy" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-09-20.

External links

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Selenites, selenates, tellurites, and tellurates
Selenites 28.1
Ahlfeldite Chalcomenite Clinochalcomenite Cobaltomenite Demesmaekerite Derriksite Francisite Guilleminite Haynesite Mandarinoite Marthozite Molybdomenite Sofiite
Selenates 28.2
Olsacherite Schmiederite
Tellurites 28.3
Balyakinite Blakeite Cesbronite Chekhovichite Choloalite Cliffordite Denningite Emmonsite Eztlite Fairbankite Graemite Keystoneite Kinichilite Mackayite Moctezumite Mroseite Plumbotellurite Poughite Quetzalcoatlite Rajite Rodalquilarite Schmitterite Smirnite Sonoraite Spiroffite Teineite Winstanleyite Zemannite
Tellurates 28.4
Carlfriesite Cheremnykhite Cuzticite Dugganite Girdite Khinite Khinite-3T Kuksite Kuranakhite Montanite Oboyerite Schieffelinite Tlalocite Tlapallite Xocomecatlite Yafsoanite Yecoraite