Colimaite

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Colimaite
General
Category Sulfide mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		K3VS4
IMA symbol Com [1]
Strunz classification 2.FB.25
Crystal system Orthorhombic
Crystal class Dipyramidal (mmm)
H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
Space group Pnma
Identification
Colordark golden
Crystal habit acicular
Cleavage none observed
Fracture splintery
Luster resinous to greasy
Streak yellow green
Diaphaneity opaque
Density 2.235 g/cm3 (calculated)
References [2] [3]

Colimaite, the naturally occurring analog of synthetic K3VS4, is a sulfide mineral discovered in southwestern Mexico. The potassium-vanadium sulfide was collected from the crater of the Colima volcano. The mineral colimaite is named after the locality of this volcano [3] and has been approved in 2007, along with its mineral name, by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC). It has been given the International Mineralogical Association number of IMA 2007–045. [3]

Contents

Composition

The chemical formula of colimaite is K3VS4. The enrichment of vanadium in Colima's volcanic gases make it unique. [3] The study of sulfur content in the fumaroles is also important, in order to know how an eruption could affect global climate due to SO2 emissions. [4]

Structure

Colimaite exhibits the Pnma (P 21/n 21/m 21/a) space group [3] making it orthorhombic. [5] The vanadium and sulfur atoms form tetrahedra. Potassium ions separate these tetrahedra in two different ways. In one case, the potassium ion is bound to five sulfur atoms at an average distance of 3.296 Å with an additional two sulfur atoms at a distance of 3.771 Å. In the other case, the potassium ion is bound to eight sulfur atoms at an average distance of 3.314 Å. In both cases, the potassium ions are in an irregular coordination polyhedron. [3]

Physical properties

The formations of colimaite have been described as hedgehog–like particles due to the acicular habit of extremely fine needles forming the aggregates. The size of these aggregates range from 10 to 100  μm. The needles themselves have been measured up to 50 μm in length and 20 μm in width. [3] Although colimaite belongs to the orthorhombic crystal class, their crystallographic forms were not observed. The particles were regular parallelepipeds and elongated rectangular prisms. [3] The color of colimaite is dark golden and opaque. The streak is a yellow green with a resinous to greasy luster. It is non-fluorescent. It is brittle with no observed cleavage and a splintery fracture. Because of grain size, the hardness and density could not be measured but the density has been calculated to 2.235 g/cm3. [3]

Geological occurrence

Colimaite occurs as a sublimate from the volcanic fumaroles of the Colima volcano in Mexico. Other minerals including cristobalite, arcanite, thenardite, baryte and native gold have been collected from the fumaroles of this volcano. [3] Although minerals were collected at temperatures from 400 to 800 °C, colimaite was assembled in a more narrow temperature interval of 450 - 600 °C. [3] There are similarities between the volcanic gases of the Colima crater and the gases of other volcanoes, [6] but there are some differences that make Colima unique. Notable differences are the vanadium, zinc and copper enrichment of the Colima gases. These same gases also lack cadmium and molybdenum. [3]

Special characteristics

Not only is colimaite the first new mineral species discovered in Mexico since 1998, but it is also the first newly recognized mineral species collected from the fumaroles of the Colima volcano crater. [3] It was collected by the use of two silica tubes of one meter in length each, placed in a high temperature vent at the volcano's crater. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fumarole</span> Volcanic opening that emits hot gases

A fumarole is a vent in the surface of the Earth or another rocky planet from which hot volcanic gases and vapors are emitted, without any accompanying liquids or solids. Fumaroles are characteristic of the late stages of volcanic activity, but fumarole activity can also precede a volcanic eruption and has been used for eruption prediction. Most fumaroles die down within a few days or weeks of the end of an eruption, but a few are persistent, lasting for decades or longer. An area containing fumaroles is known as a fumarole field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arsenopyrite</span> Iron-arsenic sulfide mineral

Arsenopyrite is an iron arsenic sulfide (FeAsS). It is a hard metallic, opaque, steel grey to silver white mineral with a relatively high specific gravity of 6.1. When dissolved in nitric acid, it releases elemental sulfur. When arsenopyrite is heated, it produces sulfur and arsenic vapor. With 46% arsenic content, arsenopyrite, along with orpiment, is a principal ore of arsenic. When deposits of arsenopyrite become exposed to the atmosphere, the mineral slowly converts into iron arsenates. Arsenopyrite is generally an acid-consuming sulfide mineral, unlike iron pyrite which can lead to acid mine drainage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bornite</span> Sulfide mineral

Bornite, also known as peacock ore, is a sulfide mineral with chemical composition Cu5FeS4 that crystallizes in the orthorhombic system (pseudo-cubic).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forsterite</span> Magnesium end-member of olivine, a nesosilicate mineral

Forsterite (Mg2SiO4; commonly abbreviated as Fo; also known as white olivine) is the magnesium-rich end-member of the olivine solid solution series. It is isomorphous with the iron-rich end-member, fayalite. Forsterite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system (space group Pbnm) with cell parameters a 4.75 Å (0.475 nm), b 10.20 Å (1.020 nm) and c 5.98 Å (0.598 nm).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alunite</span> Aluminium potassium sulfate mineral

Alunite is a hydroxylated aluminium potassium sulfate mineral, formula KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6. It was first observed in the 15th century at Tolfa, near Rome, where it was mined for the manufacture of alum. First called aluminilite by J.C. Delamétherie in 1797, this name was contracted by François Beudant three decades later to alunite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cotunnite</span>

Cotunnite is the natural mineral form of lead(II) chloride (PbCl2). Unlike the pure compound, which is white, cotunnite can be white, yellow, or green. The density of mineral samples spans range 5.3–5.8 g/cm3. The hardness on the Mohs scale is 1.5–2. The crystal structure is orthorhombic dipyramidal and the point group is 2/m 2/m 2/m. Each Pb has a coordination number of 9. Cotunnite occurs near volcanoes: Vesuvius, Italy; Tarapacá, Chile; and Tolbachik, Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triphylite</span>

Triphylite is a lithium iron(II) phosphate mineral with the chemical formula LiFePO4. It is a member of the triphylite group and forms a complete solid solution series with the lithium manganese(II) phosphate, lithiophilite. Triphylite crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system. It rarely forms prismatic crystals and is more frequently found in hypidiomorphic rock. It is bluish- to greenish-gray in color, but upon alteration becomes brown to black.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hauyne</span> Silicate mineral

Hauyne or haüyne, also called hauynite or haüynite, is a Rare tectosilicate sulfate mineral with endmember formula Na3Ca(Si3Al3)O12(SO4). As much as 5 wt % K2O may be present, and also H2O and Cl. It is a feldspathoid and a member of the sodalite group. Hauyne was first described in 1807 from samples discovered in Vesuvian lavas in Monte Somma, Italy, and was named in 1807 by Brunn-Neergard for the French crystallographer René Just Haüy (1743–1822). It is sometimes used as a gemstone.

Ziesite is a copper vanadate mineral with formula: β-Cu2V2O7. It was discovered in 1980 as monoclinic crystals occurring as volcanic sublimates around fumaroles in the crater of the Izalco Volcano, El Salvador. It is named after Emanuel George Zies (1883–1981), an American geochemist who studied Izalco in the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rheniite</span>

Rheniite is a very rare rhenium sulfide mineral with the chemical formula. It forms metallic, silver grey platey crystals in the triclinic - pinacoidal class. It has a specific gravity of 7.5.

Lyonsite (Cu3Fe+34(VO4)6) is a rare black vanadate mineral that is opaque with a metallic lustre. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system. Lyonsite often occurs as small tabular typically well formed crystals. Lyonsite has a good cleavage and a dark gray streak.

Dimorphite, chemical name arsenic sesquisulfide (As4S3), is a very rare orange-yellow arsenic sulfide mineral. In nature, dimorphite forms primarily by deposition in volcanic fumaroles at temperatures of 70–80 °C (158–176 °F). Dimorphite was first discovered in such a fumarole near Naples, Italy in 1849 by the mineralogist Arcangelo Scacchi (1810–1893). Since its discovery, dimorphite has been found in the Alacrán silver mine near Copiapó, Chile. It has also been reported from Cerro de Pasco, Peru, and the Lavrion District Mines in Attica, Greece.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bararite</span> Halide mineral

Bararite is a natural form of ammonium fluorosilicate (also known as hexafluorosilicate or fluosilicate). It has chemical formula (NH4)2SiF6 and trigonal crystal structure. This mineral was once classified as part of cryptohalite. Bararite is named after the place where it was first described, Barari, India. It is found at the fumaroles of volcanoes (Vesuvius, Italy), over burning coal seams (Barari, India), and in burning piles of anthracite (Pennsylvania, U.S.). It is a sublimation product that forms with cryptohalite, sal ammoniac, and native sulfur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avogadrite</span>

Avogadrite ((K,Cs)BF4) is a potassium-caesium tetrafluoroborate in the halide class. Avogadrite crystallizes in the orthorhombic system (space group Pnma) with cell parameters a 8.66 Å, b 5.48 Å and c Å 7.03.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alum-(K)</span>

Alum-(K) is a hydrous potassium aluminium sulfate mineral with formula KAl(SO4)2·12(H2O). It is the mineral form of potassium alum and is referred to as potassium alum in older sources. It is a member of the alum group.

Blossite is an anhydrous copper vanadate mineral with the formula: Cu2+V5+2O7. Blossite was named for mineralogist F. Donald Bloss of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argentopyrite</span>

Argentopyrite is a moderately rare sulfide mineral with the chemical formula AgFe2S3. It is one of the natural compounds of the MFe2S3 type, with M being caesium in very rare pautovite, copper in relatively common cubanite, potassium in rare rasvumite and thallium in rare picotpaulite. The type locality is Jáchymov in Czech Republic. Chemically similar mineral include sternbergite, lenaite, AgFeS2, and argentopentlandite, Ag(Fe,Ni)8S8.

Wulffite is an alkali copper sulfate mineral with the chemical formula K3NaCu4O2(SO4)4, in the sulfate category of minerals. It was recently discovered in Kamchatka, Russia at the Tolbachik volcano in 2012. It was named for Russian crystallographer Georgiy Viktorovich Wulff, a renowned expert who furthered X-ray diffraction and interference. Wullfite shares many properties with parawulffite, which was found in the same area just with slightly different chemical composition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euchlorine</span> Sulfate mineral

Euchlorine (KNaCu3(SO4)3O) is a rare emerald-green sulfate mineral found naturally occurring as a sublimate in fumaroles around volcanic eruptions. It was first discovered in fumaroles of the 1868 eruption at Mount Vesuvius in Campania, Italy by Arcangelo Scacchi. The name 'euchlorine' comes from the Greek word εΰχλωρος meaning "pale green" in reference to the mineral's color, other reported spellings include euclorina, euchlorin, and euchlorite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fumarole mineral</span> Minerals which are deposited by fumarole exhalations

Fumarole minerals are minerals which are deposited by fumarole exhalations. They form when gases and compounds desublimate or precipitate out of condensates, forming mineral deposits. They are mostly associated with volcanoes following deposition from volcanic gas during an eruption or discharge from a volcanic vent or fumarole, but have been encountered on burning coal deposits as well. They can be black or multicoloured and are often unstable upon exposure to the atmosphere.

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. ↑ Mineralienatlas
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Ostrooumov, M., Taran, Y., Arellano-Jimenez, M., Ponse, A., and Reyes-Gasga, J. (2009) Colimaite, K3VS4 – anew potassium-vanadium sulfide mineral from the Colima volcano, State of Colima (Mexico) Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas, 26(3), 600-608
  4. ↑ Jugo, P.J. (2009), Sulfur content at sulfide saturation in oxidized magmas. Geology, 37(5), 415-418
  5. ↑ Klein, C., and Dutow, B. (2008) The 23rd Edition of the Manual of Mineral Science. Jay O'Callaghan
  6. ↑ Taran, Y. A., Bernard, A., Gavilanes, J., and Africano, F. (2000) Native gold in mineral precipitates from high-temperature volcanic gases of Colima volcano, Mexico. Applied Geochemistry, 15, 337-346
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