Juansilvaite, Na₅Al₃[AsO₃(OH)]₄[AsO₂(OH)₂]₂(SO₄)₂·4H₂O, a new arsenate-sulfate from the Torrecillas mine, Iquique Province, Chile

Abstract

The new mineral juansilvaite (IMA2015-080), Na5Al3[AsO3(OH)]4[AsO2(OH)2]2(SO4)2·4H2O, was foOptically, juansilvaiteund at the Torrecillas mine, Iquique Province, Chile, where it occurs as asecondary alteration phase in association with anhydrite, canutite, halite, sulfur and a mahnertite-like phase. Juansilvaite occurs as bright pink blades up to ∼0.5 mm long grouped in tightly intergrown radial aggregates and also as opaque dull pale pink rounded aggregates. Blades areflattened on {001}, elongated on [100] and exhibit the forms {001}, {111} and {201}. Crystals are transparent, with vitreous lustre and white streak. The Mohs hardness is ∼2½, tenacity is brittle and fracture is irregular. Cleavage is very good on {001}. The measured density is3.01(2) g cm–3 and the calculated density is 3.005 g cm–3. Optically, juansilvaite is biaxial (+) with α= 1.575(1), β = 1.597(1), γ= 1.623(1) and 2V = 86(1)° (measured in white light). Dispersion is r < v, slight, andthe orientation is X = b; Z ^ c = 27° in the obtuse angle β. The pleochroism is X > Y ≈ Z in shades of pale pink. The mineral is slowly soluble in dilute HCl at room temperature. The empirical formula, determined from electron-microprobeanalyses, is Na4.95Al2.28Fe0.503+Mn0.213+Cu0.04As5.92S1.83O36H17.37. Juansilvaite is monoclinic, C2/c, a = 18.1775(13), b = 8.6285(5), c= 18.5138(13) Å, β = 90.389(6)°, V = 2903.7(3) Å3 and Z = 4. The eight strongest powder X-ray diffraction lines are [dobs Å(I)(hkl)]: 9.25(100)(002), 7.20(34)(111), 4.545(34)(400), 3.988(39)(114), 3.363(42)(314), 3.145(66)(512,420), 2.960(68)(422,422) and 2,804(33)(131,423). The structure of juansilvaite (R1 = 3.82% for 2040 Fo > 4σF reflections) contains layers made up of alternating corner-linked Al–O octahedra and acid-arsenate tetrahedra. Sodium cations occur both peripheral to the layers and within cavities in the layers. An SO4 tetrahedron and an H2O group also are in the interlayer region.

Magnesiocanutite, NaMnMg2[AsO4]2[AsO2(OH)2], a new protonated alluaudite-group mineral from the Torrecillas mine, Iquique Province, Chile

“…OVER the last several years, our investigations of the minerals of the Torrecillas mine, a small, longinactive arsenic mine in the northern Atacama Desert of Chile, have revealed a remarkable assemblage of rare secondary chlorides, arsenates and arsenites, many of which are new mineral species. To date, the descriptions of eight new minerals have been published: the chloride leverettite (Kampf et al, 2013a); the arsenates magnesiokoritnigite (Kampf et al, 2013b), canutite (Kampf et al, 2014a), chongite (Kampf et al, 2016a), currierite (Kampf et al, 2017a) and juansilvaite (Kampf et al, 2017b); and the arsenites torrecillasite (Kampf et al, 2014b) and gajardoite (Kampf et al, 2016b). Herein, we describe the ninth new mineral from the Torrecillas mine, the alluaudite-group arsenate magnesiocanutite.…”