Moolooite, a naturally occurring hydrated copper oxalate from Western Australia

1986 ◽  
Vol 50 (356) ◽  
pp. 295-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Clarke ◽  
I. R. Williams

AbstractMoolooite, a naturally occurring hydrated copper oxalate has been identified in a sulphide-bearing quartz outcrop 12 km east of Mooloo Downs station homestead (25° 01′ 30″ S., 116° 06′ 30″ E.), Western Australia. It has apparently formed by the interaction of solutions derived from bird guano and weathering copper sulphides. Partial microchemical analysis indicates a composition corresponding to CuC2O4 · 0.44H2O. The infra-red spectrum is similar to that of the artificial compound with diagnostic absorption bands at 3490, 2975, 2935, 1980, 1940, 1660, 1365,1320, 830, 510, 390, and 315 cm−1. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns indicate a disordered structure with orthorhombic symmetry; a 5.35, b 5.63, c 2.56 Å, Z = 1. The strongest lines of the powder pattern are [d Å, I, hkl]: 3.88, 100, (110); 2.50, 30, (120); 2.33, 18, (011); 2.31, 25,(101); 2.14, 20, (111); 1.938, 18, (220); 1.787, 25, (121); 1.753, 30, (211); 1.216, 15, (112). Unindexed very weak diffuse lines on some patterns can be indexed assuming a supercell with a′ = a, b′ = 2b, c′ = 2c indicating the presence of ordered crystallites.Moolooite occurs as micro-concretionary crusts and powder in cracks and solution cavities resulting from sulphide oxidation. It is found associated with opaline silica, gypsum, broehantite, antlerite, atacamite, whewellite, sampleite, and libethenite. It is turquoise-green in colour with similar streak, lustre dull to waxy, calculated density 3.43 g/cm3. Moolooite is composed of aggregates of generally sub-micrometre sized equidimensional crystallites with α ∼ 1.57 and γ ∼ 1.95.By analogy with artificial copper oxalate, moolooite is constructed from infinite ribbon-like elementary structural units consisting of alternating Cu2+ and (C2O4)2− ions. These units are arranged en echelon in layers which are stacked with displacements so that octahedral coordination of copper ions is completed by oxygen atoms in adjacent layers. The minimal role played by water in the structure and composition of moolooite distinguish it from other oxalate minerals. Because of the zeolitic character of the water a general formula CuC2O4 · nH2O (0 ⩽ n ⩽ 1) appears to be appropriate.

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-324
Author(s):  
B. H. O'Connor ◽  
R. M. Clarke ◽  
J. A. Kimpton ◽  
D. G. Allen

Additional crystallographic data are given for the recently reported mineral middlebackite, which has been described for discoveries at Iron Knob in South Australia and Passo di San Lugano near Trento, Italy. The material examined in the present study was from a third finding of the mineral, viz. from a quartz outcrop at Mooloo Downs Station in Western Australia within which it was co-located with the chemically- and structurally-related mineral moolooite, CuIIC2O4·nH2O, reported by Clarke and Williams (1986). In this study, the crystal structure was elucidated independently of the other studies using a combination of the a priori charge flipping and simulated annealing methods with synchrotron radiation diffraction (SRD) powder data. The principal crystal data for the Mooloo Downs material are: space group P21/c with lattice parameters a = 7.2659(18) Å, b = 5.7460(11) Å, c = 5.6806(11) Å, β = 104.588(3)°; Vc = 229.46(18) Å3; empirical formula CuII2C2O4(OH)2 with 2 formula units per unit cell; and calculated density = 3.605 g cm−3. The lattice parameters agree approximately with values given for the other studies, but not within the reported error estimates. The atom coordinates, interatomic distances, and angles for the Mooloo Downs material are compared with those from the other studies using single crystal data, with the values from all three studies agreeing approximately, but again not within the reported uncertainties. The crystal chemistry found for middlebackite received strong confirmation through the synthesis for the first time of di-copper oxalate di-hydroxide. Laboratory X-ray diffraction powder data for the synthetic form of the mineral from this study agree closely with the SRD data for the natural mineral.


1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 198-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil E. Johnson ◽  
Sidney S. Pollack ◽  
Elizabeth A. Frommell ◽  
Patricia A. Eldredge

A synthetic catalyst precursor formed by sulfiding ferrihydrite (Fe3+O(OH)) in the presence of a hydrogen donor produces X-ray diffraction patterns resembling a mixture of both naturally occurring FeS2 polymorphs marcasite and pyrite. The diffraction peaks display a differential broadening, however, wherein only those peaks coincident to both marcasite and pyrite are strong and sharp, a feature that cannot be accounted for by a simple physical mixture. The broadening is analogous to that found in hexagonal cobalt, where occasional stacking faults produce interstratification of the hexagonal and cubic close-packed forms, resulting in strongly coherent diffraction only along the stacking direction. The crystal structures of marcasite and pyrite are virtually identical if viewed perpendicular to the (101) and (001) planes, respectively. Calculation of diffraction patterns based upon models of interstratifying marcasite and pyrite layers along these planes demonstrates that a sequence with marcasite-to-pyrite and pyrite-to-marcasite stacking fault probabilities of 0.22 provides a good fit to the experimental pattern. This interstratified material is a precursor to a species that shows catalytic activity for cleaving C-C bonds between aromatic rings and benzylic carbon atoms at low (<350 °C) temperatures.


2017 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. E. Grey ◽  
E. Keck ◽  
A. R. Kampf ◽  
C. M. Macrae ◽  
A. M. Glenn ◽  
...  

AbstractWilhelmgümbelite, ideally [ZnFe2+Fe33+(PO4)3(OH)4(H2O)5]·2H2O, is a new secondary phosphate mineral related closely to schoonerite, [ZnMnFe22+Fe3+(PO4)3(OH)2(H2O)7]·2H2O, from oxidized zones of the Hagendorf-Süd pegmatite, Hagendorf, Oberpfalz, Bavaria, Germany. Wilhelmgümbelite occurs as radiating sprays of needle-like rectangular laths, up to 0.2 mm long and with colour varying from light yellow brown to orange red. Cleavage is perfect parallel to {010}. The mineral is associated closely with an oxidized pseudomorph of phosphophyllite, recently named steinmetzite. Other associated minerals are albite, apatite, chalcophanite, jahnsite, mitridatite, muscovite and quartz. The calculated density of wilhelmgümbelite is 2.82 g cm–3. It is optically biaxial (+) with α = 1.560(2), β = 1.669(2), γ = 1.718(2), 2V(meas) = 63(1)° and 2V(calc.) = 65°. Dispersion is weak with r > v, orientation X = b, Y = c, Z = a. Pleochroism is weak, with coloursZ = orange brown, Y = yellow brown, X = light yellow brown, Z >> Y > X. Electron microprobe analyses (average of seven analyses, seven crystals) with H2O and FeO/Fe2O3 calculated on structural grounds, gave FeO 5.8, Fe2O3 25.0, MnO 2.6, ZnO 16.4, P2O5 28.7, H2O 23.4, total 101.9 wt.%. The empirical formula, scaled to 3 P and OH– adjusted for charge balance is Zn1.50Mn0.272+Fe0.602+Fe2.333+(PO4)3·(OH)2.73(H2O)8.27. The structural formula is [Zn(Mn0.27Fe0.733+)∑1.0(Zn0.25Fe0.152+Fe0.603+)∑1.0(Zn0.25Fe0.452+)∑0.7Fe3+(PO4)3(OH,H2O)9]·2H2O.Wilhelmgümbelite has orthorhombic symmetry, Pmab, Z = 4, with the unit-cell parameters of a = 10.987(7) Å, b = 25.378(13) Å, c = 6.387(6) Å and V = 1781(2) Å3. The strongest lines in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [dobs in Å(Iobs) (hkl)] 12.65 (100) (020); 8.339 (5) (120); 6.421 (14) (001); 6.228 (8) (011); 4.223 (30) (120) and 2.111 (7) (0 12 0). Wilhelmgümbelite is an oxidized form of schoonerite, with the Mn2+ replaced principally by Fe3+. Its structure differs from that of schoonerite in having the Zn partitioned between two different sites, one five-coordinated as in schoonerite and the other tetrahedrally coordinated. Wilhelmgümbelite also differs structurally from schoonerite in having partial occupation of one of the Fe sites, which appears to be correlated with the Zn partitioning.


2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 1716-1724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohd. Shkir ◽  
V. Ganesh ◽  
S. AlFaify ◽  
K. K. Maurya ◽  
N. Vijayan

In this work, the growth of large size (∼25 × 29 × 5 mm and ∼25 × 24 × 6 mm) colorful single crystals of zinc (tris) thiourea sulfate (ZTS) in the presence of 0.05–2 wt% phenol red (PR) dye was achieved using a simple and low-cost technique. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the presence of PR dye, which is indicated by an enhancement of the Raman peak intensities, a shift in their position and the appearance of a few extra peaks. The quality of the grown crystals was assessed by high-resolution X-ray diffraction, which shows that the crystalline perfection of 1 wt% PR-dyed ZTS crystals is better than that of 2 wt% PR-dyed crystals. The measured UV–vis absorbance spectra show two additional, strong absorption bands at ∼430 and 558 nm in the dyed crystals, due to the presence of PR dye, along with a band at ∼276 nm which is present for all crystals but is slightly shifted for the dyed crystals. Photoluminescence spectra were recorded at two excitation wavelengths (λexc= 310 and 385 nm). The luminescence intensity is found to be enriched in dyed crystals, with some extra emission bands. An enhancement in the value of the dielectric constant and a.c. electrical conductivity was also observed in the dyed ZTS crystals.


1968 ◽  
Vol 36 (283) ◽  
pp. 1003-1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. N. Kirov ◽  
C. N. Poulieff

SummaryThe infra-red spectrum of untreated thaumasite Ca3H2(CO3/SO4)SiO4.13H2O, as well as the spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns of thaumasite heated in air at 200, 360, 550, 725, 800, 900, and 1150° C were investigated. The release of CO2 and H2O upon heating was followed. It was established that thaumasite changes between 200 and 550° C to a glass-like, amorphous state. Ca2SiO4-polymorphs and anhydrite are formed upon heating at temperatures up to 800° C. From 900° C calcium silicosulphate and anhydrite are the thermal decomposition products. These results are used in the assignment of the IR-absorption bands under 1400 cm−1 of untreated thaumasite, which are shown to be of a composite nature, i.e. attributable to overlapping vibrations of both sulphate and silicate tetrahedra.


2015 ◽  
Vol 232 ◽  
pp. 197-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santosh Bhukal ◽  
Sandeep Bansal ◽  
Sonal Singhal

Nickel substituted cobalt zinc nanoferrites (Co0.6Zn0.4NixFe2-xO4, x=0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0) were successfully synthesised by sol gel method. FT-IR studies showed two absorption bands in the range of 400-600 cm-1corresponding to the M-O bond in the tetrahedral and octahedral clusters, respectively. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that all the samples had cubic structure with Fd-3m space group.The lattice constant was observed to increase with increase in nickel substitution, thus altering the unit cell volume. An examination of the magnetic properties revealed an increase in saturation magnetization with increasing Ni concentration upto x=0.4, and a decrease there after.These results could be explained using Neel's collinear two-sub-lattice model and three sub-lattice non-collinear model suggested by Yafet and Kittel. DC resistivity was found to decrease with increase in temperature due to semiconductor nature of nanoferrites. The catalytic activity was found to be maximum at x = 0.2 and further found to decrease with increase in nickel concentration


2013 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 2841-2856 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Pieczka ◽  
R. J. Evans ◽  
E. S. Grew ◽  
L. A. Groat ◽  
, C. Ma ◽  
...  

AbstractThree new minerals in the dumortierite supergroup were discovered in the Szklary pegmatite, Lower Silesia, Poland. Nioboholtite, endmember (Nb0.6☐0.4)Al6B3Si3O18, and titanoholtite, endmember (Ti0.75☐0.25)Al6B3Si3O18, are new members of the holtite group, whereas szklaryite, endmember ☐Al6BAs3+3O15, is the first representative of a potential new group. Nioboholtite occurs mostly as overgrowths not exceeding 10 μm in thickness on cores of holtite. Titanoholtite forms patches up to 10 μm across in the holtite cores and streaks up to 5 μm wide along boundaries between holtite cores and the nioboholtite rims. Szklaryite is found as a patch ∼2 μm in size in As- and Sb- bearing dumortierite enclosed in quartz. Titanoholtite crystallized almost simultaneously with holtite and other Ta-dominant minerals such as tantalite-(Mn) and stibiotantalite and before nioboholtite, which crystallized simultaneously with stibiocolumbite during decreasing Ta activity in the pegmatite melt. Szklaryite crystallized after nioboholtite during the final stage of the Szklary pegmatite formation. Optical properties could be obtained only from nioboholtite, which is creamy-white to brownish yellow or grey-yellow in hand specimen, translucent, with a white streak, biaxial (–), nα = 1.740 – 1.747, nβ ∼ 1.76, nγ ∼ 1.76, and Δ < 0.020. Electron microprobe analyses of nioboholtite, titanoholtite and szklaryite give, respectively, in wt.%: P2O5 0.26, 0.01, 0.68; Nb2O5 5.21, 0.67, 0.17; Ta2O5 0.66, 1.18, 0.00; SiO2 18.68, 21.92, 12.78; TiO2 0.11, 4.00, 0.30; B2O3 4.91, 4.64, 5.44; Al2O3 49.74, 50.02, 50.74; As2O3 5.92, 2.26, 16.02; Sb2O3 10.81, 11.48, 10.31; FeO 0.51, 0.13, 0.19; H2O (calc.) 0.05, –, –, Sum 96.86, 96.34, 97.07, corresponding on the basis of O = 18–As–Sb to {(Nb0.26Ta0.02☐0.18)(Al0.27Fe0.05Ti0.01)☐0.21}Σ1.00Al6B0.92{Si2.03P0.02(Sb0.48As0.39Al0.07}Σ3.00(O17.09OH0.04☐0.87)Σ18.00, {(Ti0.32 Nb0.03 Ta0.03☐0.10)(Al0.35 Ti0.01 Fe0.01)☐0.15 }Σ1.00 Al6 B0.86 {Si2 . 3 6 (Sb0.5 1 As0.14 )}Σ3.01(O17.35☐0.65)Σ18.00 and {☐0.53 (Al0.41 Ti0.02 Fe0.02 )(Nb0.01☐0.01 )}Σ1.00Al6 B1.01 {(As1.07 Sb0.47 Al0.03 ) Si1.37 P0.06 }Σ3.00(O16.46☐1.54 )Σ18.00. Electron backscattered diffraction indicates that the three minerals are presumably isostructural with dumortierite, that is, orthorhombic symmetry, space group Pnma (no. 62), and unit-cell parameters close to a = 4.7001, b = 11.828, c = 20.243 Å, with V = 1125.36 Å3 and Z = 4; micro-Raman spectroscopy provided further confirmation of the structural relationship for nioboholtite and titanoholtite. The calculated density is 3.72 g/cm3 for nioboholtite, 3.66 g/cm3 for titanoholtite and 3.71 g/cm3 for szklaryite. The strongest lines in X-ray powder diffraction patterns calculated from the cell parameters of dumortierite of Moore and Araki (1978) and the empirical formulae of nioboholtite, titanoholtite and szklaryite are [d, Å, I (hkl)]: 10.2125, 67, 46, 19 (011); 5.9140, 40, 47, 57 (020); 5.8610, 66, 78, 100 (013); 3.4582, 63, 63, 60 (122); 3.4439, 36, 36, 34 (104); 3.2305, 100, 100, 95 (123); 3.0675, 53, 53, 50 (105); 2.9305, 65, 59, 51 (026); 2.8945, 64, 65, 59 (132), respectively. The three minerals have been approved by the IMA CNMNC (IMA 2012-068, 069, 070) and were named for their relationship to holtite and occurrence in the Szklary pegmatite, respectively.


2008 ◽  
Vol 55-57 ◽  
pp. 337-340
Author(s):  
S. Sujinnapram ◽  
Wandee Onreabroy ◽  
T. Nantawisarakul

The Zn0.8Co0.2O ceramics were synthesized by the solid state reaction method with the mixture of ZnO and CoO powders. The mixed powders were sintered at 1200 °C and 1300 °C for 4 hours. It was found that the X-ray diffraction patterns of Zn0.8Co0.2O ceramics were similar to that of the pure ZnO one. The crystal structure of Zn0.8Co0.2O ceramics were then determined using the Rietveld full-profile analysis method to indicate a single phase with a wurtzite-like structure. Their microstructures were examined using the scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that their grain sizes were increased with increasing both the sintering temperatures and the doping effect. Moreover, the optical absorption spectra using UV-Vis spectrometer showed that there were several extra absorption bands appearing in the Zn0.8Co0.2O samples. This confirms that Co2+ is substituted Zn2+ in the wurtzite structure.


1998 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger H. Mitchell ◽  
Anton R. Chakhmouradian

AbstractTh-rich (up to 18.4 wt% ThO2) loparite occurs as an accessory phase in foyaite pegmatites at Mt. Eveslogchorr, Khibina complex, Russia. It is associated with aegirine, astrophyllite, eudialyte, lorenzenite, lamprophyllite, magnesio-arfvedsonite and gerasimovskite. Loparite crystals are zoned from niobian loparite (core) to niobian thorian and thorian niobian loparite (rim). Th-enrichment is accompanied by a decrease in Na, LREE, Sr and increase in A-site vacancies. The most Th-rich composition approaches (Na0.39LREE0.19Th0.12Ca0.05Sr0.02)Σ0.77(Ti0.76Nb0.27)Σ1.03O3. The mineral is partly or completely metamict and after annealing gives an X-ray diffraction powder pattern similar to that of synthetic NaLaTi2O6 and naturally occurring loparite of different composition. For the Th-rich rim sample, the five strongest diffraction lines (Å) are: 2.72 (100) 110, 1.575 (60) 211, 1.925 (40), 1.368 (30) 220, 1.222 (20) 310; a = 3.867(2) Å. The X-ray diffraction patterns do not exhibit peak splitting or other diffraction lines typical of low-symmetry and ordered perovskite-type structures. Composition determinations, infrared transmission spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry show that thorian loparite is partly replaced by betafite with LREE and Th as dominant A-site cations (‘ceriobetafite’). Some loparite samples also exhibit thin replacement mantles of belyankinite with high LREE2O3 and ThO2 contents. Both ‘ceriobetafite’ and belyankinite were formed due to metasomatic alteration of loparite.


1991 ◽  
Vol 233 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Terasaki ◽  
Z. K. Tang ◽  
Y. Nozue ◽  
T. Goto

ABSTRACTPbI2 clusters confined in spaces of LTA zeolite are successfully prepared through vapour phase. An HREM image showed that the crystallinity of the zeolite was preserved after preparation and showed directly that the clusters were incorporated into the α-cages. Absorption spectra were measured by diffuse reflection method as a function of loading density of PbI2 molecules. Several absorption bands from different cluster sizes were observed and showed remarkable blue shift. At the maximum loading, extra reflections, which are forbidden for Fm3A of LTA, were observed in electron and X-ray diffraction patterns. The appearence of the extra reflections and the dependence of absorption curve on the loading density suggest that superlattice of clusters was produced. The characteristic feature of zeolites as containers to make an artificial superlattice of clusters is pointed out.


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