Roscoelite

True mica, phyllosilicate mineral

(repeating unit)K(V³⁺,Al,Mg)₂AlSi₃O₁₀(OH)₂IMA symbolRcl^[1]Strunz classification9.EC.15Crystal systemMonoclinicCrystal classPrismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)Space groupC2/mIdentificationFormula mass426.53 g/molColourolive-green to green-brownCrystal habitscales, fans, druses, rosettes, fibrous or felted aggregate.CleavagePerfect plane {0,0,1}FractureplatyMohs scale hardness1LustrepearlyDiaphaneitysemi-transparent to translucentSpecific gravity2.92 - 2.96Optical propertiesBiaxial (-)Refractive indexnα=1.60 nβ=1.66 nγ=1.67Birefringenceδ =Pleochroismolive green to green-brownFusibilityloses water

Roscoelite is a green mineral from the mica group that contains vanadium.

The chemical formula is K(V³⁺, Al, Mg)₂Al Si₃O₁₀(OH)₂.^[2] Crystals of roscoelite take on the monoclinic form, and are from the 2/m point group. The appearance is semi transparent to translucent coloured olive brown to green brown. The lustre is pearly. The mineral shows pleochroism with X showing green-brown, and Y and Z axes showing olive-green colour. The mineral was named after Henry Enfield Roscoe who first produced vanadium metal.

Chemical properties

Roscoelite is a muscovite with aluminium substituted with vanadium. Vanadium can also be substituted by magnesium, iron, or manganese.

Physical properties

It is soft and the density is 2.93±0.01. The unit cell has dimensions

a = 526 pm

b = 909 pm

c = 1025 pm,

with an angle between axes of β=101.0°. The tetrahedral cation-oxygen atom distance is 164.1 pm, The distance from the cation to the oxygen in the octahedral plan is 202 pm.^[3]

Formation

Two kinds of mineral deposits contain roscoelite, either gold-silver-tellurium low temperature epithermal deposits where it occurs along with quartz, fluorite, pyrite and carbonates, or oxidized low temperature uranium-vanadium ores in sedimentary rocks, where it occurs with corvusite, hewettite, carnotite and tyuyamunite. Roecoelite is considered a gangue mineral of no value when found with gold.^[4] However it has also been used as a vanadium ore.

In the Mt. Kare mine in New Guinea the mineral occurs with gold and is an important maker of gold deposits. The temperature of the geothermal fluid that deposited the roscoelite was from 127 to 167 °C (261 to 333 °F). The fluid contained a high level of salt and also contained carbon dioxide, methane, carbonyl sulfide and other minor amounts of rock forming elements.^[5]

Occurrence

The mineral has been found in numerous places in US, Australia, Japan, Gabon, Fiji, New Guinea^[6] and Czech Republic. In the United States, it was the principal vanadium ore mineral at the mines at Placerville, Colorado. In Australia roscoelite has been found at Kalgoorlie, Radium Hill and the Kintore Open Cut at Broken Hill.^{[citation needed]}

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.
^ Roscoelite information^{[full citation needed]}
^ Brigatti, Maria Franca; Caprilli, Enrico; Marchesini, Marco; Poppi, Luciano (2003). "The crystal structure of Roscoelite-1M". Clays and Clay Minerals. 51 (3): 301–8. Bibcode:2003CCM....51..301B. doi:10.1346/CCMN.2003.0510306. S2CID 94934052. INIST 14848261.
^ Kelley, Karen; Armbrustmacher, Theodore; Klein, Douglas (2004) [1996]. "Au-Ag-Te Vein Deposits" (PDF). In du Bray, Edward A. (ed.). Preliminary Compilation of Descriptive Geoenvironmental Mineral Deposit Models. United States Geological Survey.
^ Ronacher, E.; Richards, J. P.; Reed, M. H.; Bray, C. J.; Spooner, E. T. C.; Adams, P. D. (2004). "Characteristics and Evolution of the Hydrothermal Fluid in the North Zone High-Grade Area, Porgera Gold Deposit, Papua New Guinea". Economic Geology. 99 (5): 843–67. doi:10.2113/gsecongeo.99.5.843.
^ Buffalo Gold at Mt Kare