May 15 2013
Pottsite is a tetragonal-trapezohedral bright yellow mineral containing vanadium, oxygen, lead, hydrogen and bismuth. It was first discovered in 1988 from the Potts, Lander Coundy, Nevada. USA. It is named after its place of discovery.
Properties of Pottsite
The following are the key properties of Pottsite:
- Cell Data
- Space Group: I4122
- a = 11.084
- c = 12.634
- Z = 10
- Crystal Data
- Tetragonal
- Point Group: 422
- Crystals are prismatic or dipyramidal, showing dominant {101}, with {110}, {103}, {211}, to 1 mm; typically in druses
- X-ray Powder Pattern: 3.062 (10), 4.618 (9), 3.210 (4), 2.476 (4), 4.168 (3), 2.252 (3), 2.184 (3)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
| Bi2O3 |
34 |
34.11 |
| PbO |
32.4 |
32.67 |
| V2O5 |
26.6 |
26.63 |
| H2O |
6.71 |
6.59 |
| Total |
99.7 |
100 |
- Optical Properties
- Optical Class: Uniaxial (–)
- ω = 2.40 (Li)
- ε = 2.30 (Li)
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density)=6.07 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of Pottsite =7 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PEPottsite = 1108.57 barns/electron
U= PEPottsite x ρElectron density= 6725.12 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.06
Boson index = 0.94 |
Radioactivity
|
Pottsite is not radioactive
|
How to Identify Pottsite
Pottsite is a bright yellow mineral having translucent appearance, light yellow streak and adamantine luster. Its fractures are brittle as shown by most of the non-metallic minerals and glasses. It can be formed as prismatic or pyramidal crystals. The density of pottsite is 7 g/cm3, and its hardness is 3.5.
Global Distribution
Pottsite is distributed in the following places:
- Linka mine, Spencer Hot Springs district, Lander Co., about 30 km northwest of Potts, and northeast of Chalk Mountain, Clan Alpine Mountains
- Churchill Co., Nevada, USA.
Occurrence of Pottsite and Useful Mineral Association
Pottsite occurs in the oxidation zone of a tungsten-bearing tactite. It is closely associated with vanadinite, cerussite, duhamelite, clinobisvanite, bismutite, junoite and scheelite.
References