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Xitieshanite

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Sulfate mineral
Xitieshanite
General
CategorySulfate mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		Fe(SO4)Cl·6(H2O)
IMA symbolXit
Strunz classification7.DC.20
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Crystal classPrismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)
Space groupP21/a
Unit cella = 14.1 Å, b = 6.9 Å
c = 10.67 Å; β = 111.26°; Z = 4
Identification
Formula mass313.47 g/mol
ColorGreen; yellow green
Crystal habitAcicular
CleavageUncertain / indistinct
FractureConchoidal to uneven
Mohs scale hardness2.5 - 3
LusterVitreous
StreakYellow
DiaphaneityTransparent to translucent
Specific gravity1.99
Optical propertiesBiaxial (-)
Refractive indexnα = 1.536 nβ = 1.570 nγ = 1.628
Birefringence0.092
PleochroismColorless (x) to pale yellow (y) to light greenish yellow (z)
2V angleMeasured: 77°
Dispersionr > v
References

Xitieshanite is a hydrous iron sulfate–chloride mineral with chemical formula: Fe(SO4)Cl·6(H2O).

It was discovered in 1983 and named for the discovery location of Xitieshan lead/zinc ore deposit in the Qinghai Province, China. It was approved by the IMA in the year of its discovery. The mineral has also been reported in 2005 from acid mine drainage from a coal mine in Green Valley, Vigo County, Indiana.

Properties

Xitieshanite mainly consists of oxygen (56.14%) and iron (17.82%), but otherwise contains chlorine (11.31%), sulphur (10.23%) and hydrogen (4.50%). This mineral grown in lead-zinc mines, in the oxidation zone of it. Xitieshanite is a pleochroic mineral, which is an optical phenomenon, meaning the mineral appears as if it's changing colors depending on the axis it is being inspected at. On the X axis it appears as it's colorless, while it looks pale yellow if viewed on the Y axis, and light greenish yellow on the Z axis. It doesn't show any radioactive properties whatsoever.

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. Xitieshanite mineral data from Webmineral
  3. Mindat.org
  4. ^ "Xitieshanite Mineral Data". www.webmineral.com. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  5. Melchiorre, Erik, et al., A new occurrence of xitieshanite crystals in acid-mine seepways, Green Valley, Vigo County, Indiana, U.S.A., American Mineralogist, v. 90 no. 10 p. 1518-1521, 2005


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