Quetzalcoatlite

Quetzalcoatlite
Blue quetzalcoatlite on quartz from the Bambollita Mine (Oriental Mine), Moctezuma, Mun. de Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico. Picture width 2 mm.
General
Category Oxide mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		 Zn6Cu3(TeO6)2(OH)6 · AgxPbyClx+2y
Strunz classification 4.FE.45
Dana classification 34.6.3.1
Crystal system Trigonal
Crystal class Hexagonal scalenohedral (3m)
H-M symbol: (3 2/m)
Space group P3m1
Identification
Color Blue, green in transmitted light
Crystal habit needle-like hexagonal crystals, crystalline crusts, sprays
Cleavage Fair on {1010}
Fracture Brittle
Tenacity Brittle
Mohs scale hardness 3
Luster Pearly, dull
Streak Pale blue, almost white
Diaphaneity Transparent
Specific gravity 6.05 (measured)
Optical properties Uniaxial (-)
Birefringence δ = 0.062
Pleochroism blue-green
Ultraviolet fluorescence None
Solubility Insoluble in water, soluble in cold HCl and cold HNO3. Decomposes in KOH when heated
References

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).[1] It has a Moh's 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.[2][3][4] 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.[2] 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.[5]

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. 1 2 "Quetzalcoatlite: Quetzalcoatlite mineral information and data". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  3. ↑ Barthelmy, Dave. "Quetzalcoatlite Mineral Data". webmineral.com. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  4. ↑ Williams, Sidney A. (1973). "Quetzalcoatlite, Cu4Zn8(TeO3)3(OH)18, a new mineral from Moctezuma, Sonora" (PDF). Mineralogical Magazine. 39 (303). doi:10.1180/minmag.1973.039.303.01. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
  5. ↑ "Handbook of mineralogy" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-09-20.
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