Nevadaite

Nevadaite
Nevadaite
	Nevadaite - radial habit. Attribution: Leon Hupperichs
General
Category	Phosphate minerals
Formula; (repeating unit)	see text
IMA symbol	Nev[1]
Strunz classification	8.DC.60
Crystal system	Orthorhombic
Crystal class	Disphenoidal (222) ; H-M symbol: (222)
Space group	P21mn
Unit cell	a = 12.123 Å ; b = 18.999 Å ; c = 4.961 Å; Z = 1
Identification
Color	Pale Green, turquoise
Crystal habit	Acicular, crystalline, radial
Cleavage	None
Fracture	Conchoidal
Mohs scale hardness	3
Luster	Vitreous
Streak	pale blue
Diaphaneity	Translucent
Specific gravity	2.54
Optical properties	Biaxial (-)
References	[2]

Nevadaite is a rare phosphate mineral with a chemical formula[3] of

Cu₂Zn_0.02V³⁺_0.98Al_1.15Al₈P_7.9O₃₂F_8.37(OH)_1.63(H₂O)_21.65

Characteristics

Nevadaite is a pale-green to turquoise colored mineral belonging to the phosphate group. It exhibits a radial crystal habit consisting of prismatic crystals covering areas up to 2 cm. It has a pale-blue streak, a vitreous luster, and is not fluorescent. Nevadaite is in the orthorhombic crystal system and displays conchoidal fracture.[2]

Location

Hazy aerial view of Gold Quarry mine

Nevadaite was first discovered in the Gold Quarry mine near the town of Carlin, Eureka County, Nevada.[4] The unique conditions and amounts of phosphate, vanadate, arsenate, and uranate in this area led to the formation of two new minerals; one being nevadaite and the other being goldquarryite. The Gold Quarry mine has been operated by The Newmont Mining Corporation since 1985 for the extraction of Carlin-type gold deposits.[3]

Nevadaite was discovered in February 1992 by Martin C. Jensen and was approved by the International Mineralogical Association in 2002.[3] It is also found in a copper mine in Kyrgyzstan.

References

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.
"Nevadaite Mineral Data". webmineral.com. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
"Nevadaite". Canadian Mineralogist. 42: 741–752. 2004.
"Nevadaite: Nevadaite mineral information and data". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 2015-12-03.

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[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.

[webmineral-2] "Nevadaite Mineral Data". webmineral.com. Retrieved 2015-12-03.

[:0-3] "Nevadaite". Canadian Mineralogist. 42: 741–752. 2004.

[4] "Nevadaite: Nevadaite mineral information and data". www.mindat.org. Retrieved 2015-12-03.