Scheuchzerite
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

  
Scheuchzerite was named for the Swiss naturalist Johann Jakob Scheuchzer (1672-1733), junior physician of the city of Zürich, curator of the Kunstkammer - a cabinet of natural history and curiosities. He held the chair of physics and mathematics, University of Zürich.

Discovered in 2004; IMA status: Valid (IMA Approved 2004)

Chemistry

Chemical Formula:

Na(Mn,Mg,Zn)₉[VSi₉O₂₈(OH)](OH)₃

Hydroxy Sodium Manganese Magnesium Zinc Silicate Vanadate (hydroxyvanadosilicate)

Emperical Chemical Formula:

Na_0.97(Mn_7.79Mg_0.95Zn_0.16Ni_0.04Ca_0.03Al_0.01)_∑=8.98(V_0.95As_0.02Si_9.08)_∑=10.05O_32.05H₄

Molecular Weight:

1,309.36 gm

Composition:

Sodium

1.70 %

Na

2.30 %

Na₂O

Calcium

0.09 %

Ca

0.13 %

CaO

Magnesium

1.76 %

Mg

2.92 %

MgO

Manganese

32.69 %

Mn

42.20 %

MnO

Aluminum

0.02 %

Al

0.04 %

Al₂O₃

Vanadium

3.70 %

V

6.60 %

V₂O₅

Zinc

0.80 %

Zn

0.99 %

ZnO

Silicon

19.48 %

Si

41.67 %

SiO₂

Nickel

0.18 %

Ni

0.23 %

NiO

Arsenic

0.11 %

As

0.18 %

As₂O₅

Hydrogen

0.31 %

H

2.75 %

H₂O

Oxygen

39.16 %

O

100.00 %

100.01 %

= TOTAL OXIDE

Classification

Mineral Classification:

SILICATES (Germanates)

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

9.DM.35

9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
D : Inosilicates
M : Inosilicates with 6-periodic single chains

Related to:

Saneroite (both minerals are chain silicates)

Varieties:

None

Synonyms:

IMA2004-044

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Triclinic - Pinacoidal

Crystal Habit:

Forms yellow-orange, transparent, radiating acicular prismatic crystals up to 0.8 mm 

Twinning:

None

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

Distinct/good parallel to [111] (parallel to fiber elongation)

Fracture:

n/a

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

2.5

Density:

3.50 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

None

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Optical Properties

Color:

Yellow-orange

Transparency:

Transparent

Luster:

Vitreous

Refractive Index:

1.740 - 1.750  Biaxial ( + )

Birefringence:

n/a

Dispersion:

n/a

Pleochroism:

Weak; x = brown yellow, y = pale yellow

Occurances

Geological Setting:

Manganese-bearing veins resulting from the remobilization of ore components during retrograde Tertiary Alpine metamorphism.

Common Associations:

Saneroite, Tiragalloite

Common Impurities:

n/a

Type Locality:

Fianel Mine, Ausserferrera, Ferrera Valley, Hinterrhein Valley, Grischun (Grisons; Graubünden), Switzerland

Year Discovered:

2004

View mineral photos:

Scheuchzerite Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Scheuchzerite is a recently discovered hydroxyvanadosilicate mineral that was found at the Fianel Mine, Ausserferrera, Ferrera Valley, Hinterrhein Valley, Grischun, Switzerland in 2004. It forms yellow-orange, transparent, radiating, acicular crystals up to 0.8 mm in matrix. Scheuchzerite was named for the Swiss naturalist Johann Jakob Scheuchzer (1672-1733), junior physician of the city of Zürich, curator of the Kunstkammer - a cabinet of natural history and curiosities. He held the chair of physics and mathematics, University of Zürich. He did much work on Swiss geology and mineralogy that was essential for his time. Scheuchzerite mineral specimens and gems are rare.

Locations for finding Scheuchzerite: the type locality (TL) Fianel Mine, Ausserferrera, Ferrera Valley, Hinterrhein Valley, Grischun (Grisons; Graubünden), Switzerland; Valgraveglia Mine (Gambatesa Mine), Reppia, Graveglia Valley, Ne, Genova Province, Liguria, Italy.
 

  
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