Chemistry:Lyonsite

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Lyonsite
General
CategoryVanadate mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
Cu3Fe+34(VO4)6
Strunz classification8.AB.40
Crystal systemOrthorhombic
Crystal classDipyramidal (mmm)
H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)
Space groupPmcn
Unit cella = 10.29, b = 17.2
c = 4.91 [Å]; Z = 2
Identification
ColorBlack; creamy white in reflected light in polished section
Crystal habitAs euhedral flattened lath shaped crystals
CleavageGood on {001}
TenacityBrittle
|re|er}}Metallic
StreakDark gray
DiaphaneityOpaque
Specific gravity4.215 calculated
References[1][2][3]

Lyonsite (Cu3Fe+34(VO4)6) is a rare black vanadate mineral that is opaque with a metallic lustre. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system. Lyonsite often occurs as small tabular typically well formed crystals. Lyonsite has a good cleavage and a dark gray streak.

Lyonsite occurs as a sublimate in volcanic fumaroles. It is often associated with howardevansite and thenardite.[1] It was first described in 1987 for an occurrence on the Izalco volcano, El Salvador. It was named for mineralogist John Bartholomew Lyons (1916–1998) of Dartmouth College.[2] It has also been reported from a mine dump in the Lichtenberg Absetzer Mine of Thuringia, Germany.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Mineral Handbook
  2. 2.0 2.1 Webmineral
  3. 3.0 3.1 Mindat
  4. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine 85 (3): 291–320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. Bibcode2021MinM...85..291W.