Auriacusite, Fe3+Cu2+AsO4O, the first M 3+ member of the olivenite group, from the Black Pine mine, Montana, USA

Abstract

Auriacusite, ideally Fe3+Cu2+AsO4O, is a new arsenate mineral (IMA2009–037) and the Fe3+ analogue of olivenite, from the Black Pine mine, 14.5 km NW of Philipsburg, Granite Co., Montana, USA. It occurs lining quartz vughs and coating quartz crystals and is associated with segnitite, brochantite, malachite, tetrahedrite and pyrite. Auriacusite forms fibrous crystals up to about 5 µm in width and up to about 100 µm in length, which are intergrown to form fibrous mats. Individual crystals are a brownish golden yellow, whilst the fibrous mats are ochreous yellow. The crystals have a silky lustre and a brownish yellow streak. Mohs hardness is about 3 (estimated). The fracture is irregular and the tenacity is brittle. Auriacusite crystals are biaxial (+), with α = 1.830(5), β = 1.865(5) and γ = 1.910(5), measured using white light, and with 2V meas. = 83(3)o and 2V calc. = 84.6o. Orientation: X = a, Y = c, Z = b. Crystals are nonpleochroic or too weakly so to be observed. The empirical formula (based on 5 O atoms) is (Fe 1.33 3+ Cu0.85Zn0.03)Σ2.21(As0.51Sb0.27Si0.04 S0.02Te0.01)Σ0.85O5. Auriacusite is orthorhombic, space group Pnnm, a = 8.6235(7), b = 8.2757(7), c = 5.9501(5) A, V = 424.63(6) A3, Z = 4. The five strongest lines in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [d obs in A / (I) / hkl]: 4.884 / (100) / 101, 001; 2.991 / (92) / 220; 2.476 / (85) / 311; 2.416 / (83) / 022; 2.669 / (74) / 221. The crystal structure was solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data utilising synchrotron radiation and refined to R 1 = 0.1010 on the basis of 951 unique reflections with F o > 4σF. Auriacusite is identified as a member of the olivenite group with Fe3+ replacing Zn2+ or Cu2+ in trigonal bipyramidal coordination. Evidence suggests that auriacusite is an intermediate member between olivenite and an as yet undescribed Fe3+Fe3+-dominant member. The name is derived from the Latin auri (golden yellow) and acus (needle), in reference to its colour and crystal morphology.