May 10 2013
Tooeleite is a monoclinic-prismatic mineral containing hydrogen, iron, arsenic, oxygen, and sulfur. It is an uncommon secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of a replacement ore body in metamorphosed limestone. The mineral is named after the place it was first discovered - Tooele Co., Utah, USA.
Properties of Tooeleite
The following are the key properties of tooeleite:
- Cell Data
- Space group: Pbcm or Pbc21 (probable)
- a = 6.416(4)
- b = 19.45(17)
- c = 8.941(8)
- Z = 2
- Crystal Data
- Orthorhombic
- Point group: 2/m 2/m 2/m or mm2 (probable)
- Bladed crystals, to 1 cm, are elongate along [001], showing {010}, {304}, {100}; usually in compact crystalline crusts.
- X-ray powder pattern: 9.725 (10), 3.208 (9), 3.047 (5), 4.476 (4), 2.680 (4), 2.153 (4), 1.604 (4)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
| Fe2O3 |
43.56 |
| As2O5 |
38.61 |
| H2O |
9.80 |
| SO3 |
7.24 |
| Total |
99.21 |
- Optical Properties
- Optical Class: Biaxial (–)
- Pleochroism: Moderate
- Y = orange
- X = Z = lemon-yellow
- Orientation: X = a; Y = c; Z = b.
- Dispersion: r > v, slight
- Absorption: Y > X = Z
- α = 1.94
- β = 2.04
- γ = 2.05
- 2V(meas.) = 2°–5°
- 2V(calc.) = 32°
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density)= 3.95 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of tooeleite = 4.12 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PEtooeleite = 26.59 barns/electron
U=PEtooeleite x ρelectron density= 105.15 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.00689
Boson index = 0.99310 |
Radioactivity
|
GRapi = 0 (Gamma Ray American Petroleum Institute Units)
Tooeleite is not radioactive |
How to Identify Tooeleite
Tooeleite can be identified in the field by brown orange and yellow orange color variations. The appearance of this mineral is transparent. It is a mineral with a greasy lustre, a orange streak, and good cleavages. The density of tooeleite is 4.238 g/cm3 and hardness of 3 - approximate to calcite.
Tooeleite has a powdery form that is a loose, poorly coherent pulverulent mass. The mineral’s encrustations are crust-like aggregates on matrix.
Global Distribution
Tooeleite is widely distributed in the following locations:
- USA - From the U.S. mine, Gold Hill, Tooele Co., Utah.
- Austria - Friesach - Hüttenberg area, Hüttenberg, Waitschach, Slag localities.
- France - Languedoc-Roussillon, Carnoulès mine.
- Germany - Lower Saxony, Grane Reservoir, Ochsenhütte (slag locality).
- Italy - Tuscany, Livorno Province, Madonna di Fucinaia (Madonna della Fucinaia; slag locality).
- Switzerland - Ticino (Tessin), Alto Malcantone, Slag locality.
- Greece - Attikí (Attica; Attika) Prefecture,Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium) District, Lavrion District Mines.
Occurrence of Taranakite and Useful Mineral Association
Tooeleite is often associated with minerals such as sulfur, kaatialaite, jarosite, scorodite, pyrite, galena, arsenopyrite, gypsum, sphalerite, and goethite.
References