Apr 30 2014
Aubertite is named after the French geophysicist J. Aubert, who was the first to collect samples of this mineral.
Properties of Aubertite
The following are the key properties of aubertite:
- Cell Data
- Space group: P1
- a= 6.282(3)
- b=13.192(5)
- c=6.260(3)
- α =91.85(3)° ; β =94.70(3)° ; γ = 82.46(3)°
- Z=1
- Crystal Data
- Triclinic
- Point group: 1
- As crusts of corroded grains
- X-ray powder pattern: 4.50 (100), 4.247 (69), 3.952 (58), 6.25 (45), 5.59 (44), 3.690 (42), 3.130 (42)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
| SO3 |
28.30 |
28.07 |
| Al2O3 |
9.16 |
8.94 |
| CuO |
11.80 |
13.95 |
| CaO |
0.18 |
- |
| Na2O |
0.13 |
- |
| K2O |
0.05 |
- |
| Cl |
6.70 |
6.22 |
| H2O |
45.50 |
44.22 |
| -O=Cl2 |
1.51 |
1.40 |
| Total |
100.21 |
100 |
- Optical Properties
- Translucent
- Color: azure blue
- Optical Class: Biaxial (-)
- Dispersion: r>v, moderate
- α=1.462; β=1.482; γ=1.495
- 2V(meas)= 71°
- Orientation: Optic axis nearly ⊥ {010}
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density) = 1.89 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of aubertite = 1.83 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PEAubertite = 5.87 barns/electron
U=PEAubertite x ρ electron density= 11.12 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.0011470323
Boson index = 0.998852 |
Radioactivity
|
Aubertite is not radioactive
|
How to Identify Aubertite
Aubertite appears as an azure blue mineral, which is soluble in water.
Global Distribution
Aubertite is found in Quetena, located in the west of Calama, and in Antofagasta, Chile.
Occurrence of Aubertite and Useful Mineral Association
Aubertite occurs in the oxidized zone of a copper deposit. It is associated with minerals such as copiapite, botryogen, amarantite, parabutlerite and metahohmannite.
References