Strashimirite

Strashimirite is a rare monoclinic mineral containing arsenic, copper, hydrogen, and oxygen. It has the chemical formula Cu8(AsO4)4(OH)4·5(H2O).[6][7]

Strashimirite
General
CategoryArsenate mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		Cu8(AsO4)4(OH)4·5(H2O)
Strunz classification8.DC.12 (10 ed)
7/D.07-20 (8 ed)
Dana classification42.6.5.1
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Unknown space group
Space groupP2/m, P2, or Pm
Unit cella = 9.71 Å, b = 18.81 Å
c = 8.94 Å; β = 97.2°; Z = 3
Identification
ColorWhite, pale green
Crystal habitElongated, tabular crystals; crusts; radiating aggregates
CleavageParting at right angle to elongation
Mohs scale hardness2.5 - 3
LusterGreasy, pearly
DiaphaneitySemitransparent
Specific gravity3.67 (calculated)
Optical propertiesBiaxial (-)
Refractive indexnα = 1.726 nγ = 1.747
Birefringenceδ = 0.021
PleochroismWeak; Y = very pale yellowish green; Z = yellowish green
2V angle70°
References[1][2][3][4][5]

This mineral was discovered in Zapachitsa (Zapacica) copper deposit, Svoge, Sofia Oblast, Bulgaria in 1960, by the Bulgarian mineralogist Jordanka Minceva-Stefanova.[8] She named the mineral after Strashimir Dimitrov (1892-1960), Professor in Mineralogy and Petrography at Sofia University "St Kliment Ohridski", Bulgaria.[9] The International Mineralogical Association approved it as a new mineral in 1968.[10]

It occurs as a secondary mineral phase in the oxidation zone of copper arsenide deposits. It occurs associated with tyrolite, cornwallite, clinoclase, euchroite, olivenite, parnauite, goudeyite, arthurite, metazeunerite, chalcophyllite, cyanotrichite, scorodite, pharmacosiderite, brochantite, azurite, malachite and chrysocolla.[1]

Although it remains quite rare, strashimirite has subsequently been identified in a number of locations including: Novoveska Huta in the Czech Republic; on the west flank of Cherbadung (Pizzo Cervandone), Binntal, Valais, Switzerland; in Kamsdorf and Saalfeld, Thuringia, Germany; the Clara mine, near Oberwolfach, Black Forest, Germany; in the Richelsdorf Mountains, Hesse, Germany; Cap Garonne mine, near le Pradet, Var, and Triembach-au-Val, Haut-Rhin, France; Wheals Gorland and Unity, Gwennap, Cornwall, England; the Tynagh mine, near Loughrea, Co. Galway, Ireland; the Majuba Hill mine, Antelope district, Pershing Co. Nevada, US; and the Centennial Eureka mine, Tintic district, Juab Co., Utah, US.[1]

See also

List of minerals named after people

Notes
  1. Handbook of Mineralogy information page for Strashimirite
  2. Mindat information page for Strashimirite
  3. Webmineral information page for Strashimirite
  4. Information about Strashimirite at RRUFF Database
  5. Strashimirite at Mineralienatlas Lexicon
  6. Mincheva-Stefanova, I. (1968). "Strashimirite - a new hydrous copper arsenate (In Russian)" (PDF). Zapiski RMO (Proceedings of the Russian Mineralogical Society) (97): 4.
  7. Frost, Ray L.; Keeffe, Eloise C.; Cejka, Jiri; Sejkora, Jiri (2009). "Vibrational spectroscopic study of the arsenate mineral strashimirite Cu8(AsO4)4(OH)4.5H2O - relationship to other basic copper arsenates" (PDF). Vibrational Spectroscopy. 50 (2): 289–297.
  8. Jordanka Minceva-Stefanova (Йорданка Минчева-Стефанова)(1923-2007)
  9. Fleischer, Michael (1969). "New Mineral Names" (PDF). The American Mineralogist. 54: 1221.
  10. Stoilova, D.; Minčeva-Stefanova, J (2001). "Infrared Spectroscopic Study of Strashimirite". Comptes Rendus de l'Académie Bulgare des Sciences. 54 (8): 49–52.
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