Zaratite Mineral Data

General Zaratite Information

Chemical Formula:

Ni3(CO3)(OH)4•4(H2O)

Composition:

Molecular Weight = 376.17 gm

Nickel 46.81 % Ni 59.57 % NiO

Hydrogen 3.22 % H 28.73 % H₂O

Carbon 3.19 % C 11.70 % CO₂

Oxygen 46.79 % O

______ ______

100.00 % 100.00 % = TOTAL OXIDE

Empirical Formula:

Ni₃(CO₃)(OH)₄•4(H₂O)

Environment:

Secondary nickel mineral in Ni-bearing rocks.

IMA Status:

Valid Species (Pre-IMA) 1851

Locality:

Cape Ortegal, Galicia, Spain. Link to MinDat.org Location Data.

Name Origin:

Named after Antonio Gil y Zarate (1793-1861), Spanish diplomat, general director of public education, and counselor of state.

Name Pronunciation:

Zaratite

Synonym:

Emerald Nickel

Texasite

Zaratite Image

Images:

Zaratite

Comments: Specimen exceptionally rich in apple green zaratite - a carbonate of nickel.
Location: Lord Brassy Mine Tasmania, Australia. Scale: 6.5 x 3.5 cm.
© John Veevaert

Zaratite Crystallography

Cell Dimensions:

a = 6.16, Z = 1; V = 233.74 Den(Calc)= 2.67

Crystal System:

Isometric Space Group: Unk (in part amorphous)

$Help on X Ray Diffraction:$ X Ray Diffraction:

By Intensity(I/I_o): 5.07(1), 2.45(0.7), 8.93(0.7),

Physical Properties of Zaratite

Cleavage:

None

Color:

Emerald green.

Density:

2.6

Diaphaneity:

Translucent

Fracture:

Brittle - Conchoidal - Very brittle fracture producing small, conchoidal fragments.

Habit:

Encrustations - Forms crust-like aggregates on matrix.

Habit:

Mammillary - Larger "breast-like" rounded forms resembling botryoidal (e.g. malachite).

Habit:

Massive - Uniformly indistinguishable crystals forming large masses.

Hardness:

3-3.5 - Calcite-Copper Penny

Luminescence:

Non-fluorescent.

Luster:

Vitreous - Greasy

Streak:

light green

Optical Properties of Zaratite

Gladstone-Dale:

CI meas= 0.01 (Superior) - where the CI = (1-KPDmeas/KC)
CI calc= 0.036 (Excellent) - where the CI = (1-KPDcalc/KC)
KPDcalc= 0.2191,KPDmeas= 0.225,KC= 0.2272
Ncalc = 1.59 - 1.61

Optical Data:

Isotropic, n=1.56-1.61.

Calculated Properties of Zaratite

Electron Density:

Bulk Density (Electron Density)=2.63 gm/cc
note: Specific Gravity of Zaratite =2.60 gm/cc.

Fermion Index:

Fermion Index = 0.0058696999
Boson Index = 0.9941303001

Photoelectric:

PE_Zaratite= 18.13 barns/electron
U=PE_Zaratite x rElectron Density= 47.61 barns/cc.

Radioactivity:

GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Zaratite is Not Radioactive

Zaratite Classification

Dana Class:

16b.04.01.01 (16b)Carbonates - Hydroxyl or Halogen

(16b.04)where (A)m (B)n (XO3)p Zq � x(H2O), with (m+n):p=8:1

(16b.04.01)Dana Group

16b.04.01.01 Zaratite Ni3(CO3)(OH)4•4(H2O) Unk (in part amorphous) Cubic

Strunz Class:

05.DA.70 05 - CARBONATES (NITRATES)

05.D - Carbonates with Additional Anions, with H2O

05.DA -With medium-sized cations

05.DA.70 Zaratite Ni3(CO3)(OH)4•4(H2O) Unk (in part amorphous) Cubic

Other Zaratite Information

References:

NAME( Duda&Rejl90) PHYS. PROP.(Enc. of Minerals,2nd ed.,1990) OPTIC PROP.(Ford32)

See Also:

Links to other databases for Zaratite :
1 - Am. Min. Crystal Structure Database
2 - Athena
3 - EUROmin Project
4 - Ecole des Mines de Paris
5 - GeoScienceWorld
6 - Google Images
7 - Google Scholar
8 - Handbook of Mineralogy (MinSocAm)
9 - Handbook of Mineralogy (UofA)
10 - MinDAT
11 - Mineralienatlas (Deutsch)
12 - Online Mineral Museum
13 - QUT Mineral Atlas
14 - Ruff.Info

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Print or Cut-and-Paste your Zaratite Specimen Label here :

Zaratite

Ni3(CO3)(OH)4•4(H2O)
Dana No: 16b.04.01.01 Strunz No: 05.DA.70
Locality:

Notes:

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