Zhenruit ze štoly 5. květen ve Vrchoslavi v Krušných horách (Česká republika)

Very rare hydrated calcium arsenate, mineral ferrarisite, was found in the area of corridor 30-32 (vein No. 32, III. level of the shaft Barbora) of the Jáchymov ore district, Krušné hory Mountains, Czech Republic. Ferrarisite occurs as colourless to greyish white crystalline aggregates up to 5 mm in size or crystalline aggregates formed by parallel arranged acicular crystals up to 1 mm in length. Associated minerals are annabergite, picropharmacolite, pharmacolite, rauenthalite and guérinite. Ferrarisite is triclinic, space group P-1, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 8.3000(10), b 6.7309(8), c 11.2129(12) Å, α 106.198(8)°, β 92.857(10)°, γ 99.183(9)° and V 590.90(12) Å3. Chemical analyses of ferrarisite correspond to the empirical formula Ca4.99(AsO4)1.93(PO4)0.06(AsO3OH)2.01·9H2O on the basis of As+P = 4 apfu. The origin of ferrarisite is interpreted as product of (sub)recent supergene alteration of primary arsenides in calcite gangue in environment of abandoned mine corridors.

An interesting mineral association of Cu arsenates was found at abandoned ore stope at the Geschieber vein - north at the Daniel level of the Svornost mine, the Jáchymov ore district, Krušné hory, Czech Republic. Tangdanite forms thin tabular crystals up to 3 mm in size and coatings and fine crystalline aggregates on the area up to some cm2. It has light green, bluish-green to emerald green color and perfect cleavage. It is monoclinic, space group C2/c, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 54.335(12), b 5.579(2), c 10.459(2) Å, β 95.42(3)° and V 3156(2) Å3; its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula Ca1.99(Cu8.72Zn0.09Ni0.04Al0.04)Σ8.89[(AsO4)3.83 (PO4)0.14(SiO4)0.03]Σ4.00(SO4)0.41(OH)8.97·9H2O on the basis As+P+Si+V = 4 apfu. The results of Raman and infrared spectroscopy confirmed an absence of carbonate group in studied tangdanite. K-rich lavendulan was found as a relatively abundant sky blue crusts and coatings on the area up to some cm2 and hemispherical aggregates with a radial structure or rarely as a group of thin tabular crystals up to 0.2 mm in size. It is monoclinic, space group P21/n, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 10.081(12), b 19.469(12), c 10.033(9) Å, β 90.32° and V 1969(2) Å3; its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula (Na0.63K0.16)Σ0.79Ca1.12(Cu4.82Al0.01)Σ4.83[(AsO4)3.86(PO4)0.07 (SO4)0.06(SiO4)0.01]Σ4.00Cl0.96·5H2O on the basis As+P+V+Si+S = 4 apfu. Olivenite occurs as olive green spherical aggregates with radial structure up to 8 mm in size and rarely as groups of acicular crystals in association with strashimirite and köttigite. It is orthorhombic, space group Pnnm, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 8.6204(10), b 8.2332(9), c 5.9337(11) Å and V 421.13(7) Å3; its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula (Cu1.94Ni0.01Al0.01)Σ1.96[(AsO4)0.97(VO4)0.02(PO4)0.01]Σ1.00(OH)0.93 on the basis As+V+P = 1 apfu. Strashimirite forms there light green crystalline coatings on the area up to several cm2 and spherical aggregates with a radial structure in association with olivenite and lavendulan. Strashimirite is probably monoclinic, space group P2, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 9.991(9), b 18.466(9), c 8.986(8) Å, β 96.5(2)° and V 1574(3) Å3; its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula (Cu7.83Ni0.18Ca0.09Zn0.06Co0.02Al0.02)Σ8.20 [(AsO4)3.81(PO4)0.07 (SO4)0.07(VO4)0.03(SiO4)0.02]Σ4.00 (OH)4.45·5H2O on the basis As+P+Si+V+S = 4 apfu. Chalcophyllite was found as rare emerald green thin tabular crystals up to 0.5 mm in size and crystalline aggregates. Its chemical composition is possible to express on the basis As+S+P+Si = 7 apfu by the empirical formula Cu17.83Al1.97[(AsO4)4.00(PO4)0.09]Σ4.09[(SO4)2.80(SiO4)0.11]Σ2.91 (OH)23.27·36H2O. Brochantite, devilline, köttigite, erythrite and gypsum were also found in the association with Cu arsenates. The origin of the described mineral association is connected with (sub)recent weathering of primary ore minerals (tennantite, sphalerite, nickelskutterudite) in relatively dry conditions of abandoned mine adits.

A very rare mineral lindgrenite, Cu3(MoO4)2(OH)2, was found in material from the 3rd level of abandoned Cínovec mine 1 of the Cínovec Sn-W deposit, Krušné hory Mountains, northern Bohemia. This is the first occurrence of this mineral in the Czech Republic. Lindgrenite occurs there as olive green irregular coatings on the area up to 0.5 × 1 cm in size formed by hemispherical to spherical aggregates up to 0.3 mm across with crystalline surface in association with brochantite. Lindgrenite is monoclinic, space group P21/n, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 5.3934(18), b 14.032(2), c 5.6098(15) Å, β 98.54(2)° and V 419.86(16) Å3. Chemical analyses of lindgrenite correspond to the empirical formula (Cu2.92Fe0.03)Σ2.95(MoO4)1.97(PO4)0.07(AsO4)0.01(OH)1.70 on the basis of 5 atoms pfu. Its origin is connected with simultaneous weathering of primary Cu (tennantite) and Mo (molybdenite) minerals in the conditions of supergene zone in-situ.

An interesting mineral association of paratacamite, nantokite, cuprite and an unnamed NaCuCl-arsenate was found at sample from the Jáchymov ore district (probably 12th level of the Geschieber vein, Svornost mine), Krušné hory Mountains, Czech Republic. Paratacamite occurs as light greenish-blue to whitish green irregular aggregates up to 2 mm in size. It is trigonal, space group R-3, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 13.656(8), c 14.042(11) Å and V 2268(2) Å3; its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula Cu3.00(Cu0.56 Ni0.38Co0.03Ca0.03)Σ1.00Cl1.91(OH)6.09 on the basis of 4 cations apfu. Nantokite forms aggregates up to 200 μm in size replacing earlier native copper. It is cubic, space group F-43m, the unit-cell parameter refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 5.4164(12) Å and V 158.90(11) Å3; its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula Cu1.00Cl1.00 on the base of 2 apfu. Cuprite was identified only by X-ray powder diffraction data, it is cubic, space group Pn3m with unit-cell parameter a 4.2736(4) Å and V 78.08(2) Å3. An unnamed NaCuCl-arsenate occurs as lavendulane-like blue crusts with an area of up to 5 × 8 mm on altered rock or earlier paratacamite. The crusts are composed of hemispherical aggregates up to 0.2 mm in size with a very finely crystalline surface. Its X-ray powder diffraction pattern (d(Å)/Iobs: 12.808/100, 4.944/25, 3.114/16, 2.738/17, 2.516/20) does not correspond to any approved mineral species. The chemical composition of NaCuCl-arsenate is close to ideal formula NaCu5(AsO4)2(AsO3OH)2Cl·3H2O and its empirical formula based on As+P+Si+S = 4 apfu is Na1.07Ca0.24(Cu4.70Ni0.27Co0.02Zn0.01Mn0.01)Σ5.01 (AsO4)2.00[(AsO3OH)1.73(AsO4)0.13(SiO4)0.08(SO4)0.04(PO4)0.02]Σ2.00Cl1.26·3H2O. The origin of the described mineral association is connected with (sub)recent weathering of native copper in quartz veinlets in altered granite rocks.

A rare uranium supergene minerals, phurcalite and uranophane-beta, were found in association with metaautunite at fissures of granitoid rocks in the active Wagner quarry in Ruprechtice near Liberec (northern Bohemia, Czech Republic). Phurcalite occurs there as bright to deep yellow coatings with an area up to 10 × 3 mm in size composed of acicular to columnar crystals up to 0.5 mm in length. It is orthorhombic, space group Pbca, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 17.3973(18), b 16.0161(15), c 13.5693(19) Å, V 3780.9(5) Å3. Chemical analyses of phurcalite correspond to the empirical formula Ca2.20(UO2)3.06(PO4)1.96(AsO4)0.04O2.26·7H2O. Uranophane-beta forms a relatively abundant pale yellow coatings of up to 2 × 2 cm in size composed of translucent to transparent acicular crystals with a vitreous lustre and a length of up to 0.2 mm. It is monoclinic, space group P21/a, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 13.959(2), b 15.5420(16), c 6.6227(9) Å, β 91.43(1)o and V 1436.3(2) Å3. Chemical analyses of uranophane-beta correspond to the empirical formula Ca1.09(UO2)1.99[(SiO3OH)1.68 (PO4)0.29(AsO4)0.03]Σ2.00·5H2O. Metaautunite occurs there as abundant light yellow aggregates with an area up to some cm2 in size composed of tiny (up to 0.5 mm) tabular crystals or rarely as well-developed individual tabular crystals up to several mm in size. It clearly differs from other minerals in the association by very strong yellow-green luminescence in both short- and long-wave UV radiation. It is tetragonal, space group P4/nmm, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 7.006(2), c 16.899(4) Å and V 829.4(6) (5) Å3. Chemical analyses of metaautunite correspond to the empirical formula Ca1.03(UO2)2.09(PO4)1.96(AsO4)0.04·6H2O.

Two rare sulfosalt minerals, fülöppite and plagionite, have been determined in samples from a small abandoned Sb occurrence Mikulovický vrch near Kadaň, northern Bohemia, Czech Republic. The more abundant fülöppite forms grey aggregates (up to 5 mm in size) with metallic lustre in quartz gangue and rare crystals up to 1.5 mm across in association with stibnite, plagionite, sphalerite, pyrite and arsenopyrite. Fülöppite is monoclinic, space group C2/c with refined unit-cell parameters: a 13.443(2), b 11.737(2), c 16.953(2) Å, β 94.69(1)° and V 2665.9(5) Å3. Its empirical formula (mean of 93 point analyses) is (Pb2.80Sn0.01Hg0.01)Σ2.82Sb8.18S14.99. Two types of plagionite were found as irregular aggregates up to 200 μm in size in quartz gangue, ussualy in association with fülöppite. The first rarer one is close to the ideal composition with empirical formula (mean of 10 point analyses) (Pb4.90Hg0.01)Σ4.91Sb8.07S17.02; the second is distinctly Pb-poor with the calculated N homologue number in the range of 1.37 - 1.74 and empirical formula (mean of 62 point analyses) (Pb4.31Sn0.02Hg0.01)Σ4.34Sb8.53S17.13. Determination of fülöppite and Pb-poor plagionite were also confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Gypsum, valentinite, native sulphur and jarosite were detected as products of weathering of primary mineralization.

Rare zinc hydroxyl carbonate sulfate, mineral brianyoungite, was found in the area of skarn body near the hydrothermal vein No. 13 (2nd level of the shaft Vladimír), Plavno deposit, the Jáchymov ore district, Krušné hory Mountains, Czech Republic. Brianyoungite occurs as very thin white crystalline coatings on an area of up to several cm2 on altered skarn or more rarely it forms irregular crystalline aggregates up to 2 mm in size or spherical to hemispherical aggregates composed of small thin tabular crystals. Associated minerals are gypsum, hexahydrite, hydromagnesite, nesquehonite, serpierite, smithsonite, šlikite, Zn-rich malachite and ktenasite-like mineral. Brianyoungite is probably monoclinic, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 15.747(4), b 6.254(2), c 5.482(2) Å, β 90.63(4)°, and V 539.8(4) Å3. Its chemical analyses (mean of 4 points) correspond to the empirical formula Zn3.00 [(CO3)0.74(SO4)0.23(SiO4)0.03]Σ1.00(OH)3.95 on the basis of 3 apfu Zn. Raman and infrared spectroscopy confirm presence of (OH)-, (CO3)2- and (SO4)2- groups in its crystal structure. The origin of brianyoungite is interpreted as product of (sub)recent supergene alteration of primary sphalerite and other minerals in skarn rock in environment of abandoned mine corridors.

The mineral association of lithiophorite, cryptomelane/hollandite and hematite in quartz gangue was found in the material from the exploratory trenches in the forest track „U Kutaček“, 4 km NW of Kladská in the cadastre of the town of Lázně Kynžvart (Slavkovský les Mts., Czech Republic). Lithiophorite occurs as massive aggregates up to several cm in size, with a reniform or hemispherical surface. It is opaque, black, sometimes with a greenish or purplish tints. It is trigonal, space group R-3m, with the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data: a 2.9158(5), c 28.266(7) Å and V 208.11(7) Å3. Its chemical analyses (mean of 26 points) correspond to the empirical formula (Al0.66 Li0.27Cu0.03Co0.03Zn0.01)Σ1.00(Mn0.98Si0.02)Σ1.00O2(OH)2.06 on the basis of 2 cations apfu. Barium-rich (up to 0.24 apfu Ba) cryptomelane forms aggregates up to several cm in size, with a reniform or hemispherical surface. It is opaque, black, sometimes with a greenish or purplish tints. It is tetragonal, space group I4/m, with the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data: a 9.828(2), c 2.8497(9) Å and V 275.26(13) Å3. Its aggregates are distinctly zonal due to variable Ba and Al contents; thin zones corresponding to hollandite and not yet approved phases alumocryptomelane and alumohollandite were observed. In the material with Mn-minerals, abundant coatings and spherical aggregates of hematite were observed. Hematite is trigonal, space group R-3c, with the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data: a 5.0369(2), c 13.7571(7) Å and V 302.26(2) Å3.

The rare Cu-Zn sulphate, ktenasite, was found in the association with schulenbergite, serpierite, gypsum and brochantite at abandoned stope of the Modrá štola adit, the ore deposit Zlaté Hory - East, Czech Republic. Ktenasite occurs there as two different (color, morphology) types, the first is olive green to dark green columnar crystals up to 4 mm in length which forms radially arranged groups or rich crystalline coatings. The second type is represented by blue to greenish blue crystalline coatings or hemispherical or fan-shaped aggregates formed by thin tabular crystals. The X-ray powder diffraction data, Raman spectra and chemical composition of both types are almost identical. Ktenasite is monoclinic, space group P21/c, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 5.610(2), b 6.123(2), c 23.827(9) Å, β 95.27(3)o and V 815.0(4) Å3. Its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula Zn1.00(Cu3.13Zn0.96Mg0.07Al0.01)Σ4.17(SO4)1.98(PO4)0.01(SiO4)0.01(OH)6.32·6H2O. Schulenbergite most often occurs only as an admixture in blue-green crystalline aggregates of ktenasite, sometimes together with serpierite. More rarely, its blue tabular crystals with a pearly luster up to 0.4 mm in size were also observed. Schulenbergite is trigonal, space group R-3, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 8.187(3), c 7.012(4) Å and V 410.5(3) Å3. Its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula (Cu4.96Zn2.34)7.30(SO4)1.92(SiO4)0.05(PO4)0.02 (OH)10.47·6H2O. Serpierite is relatively abundant in the studied mineral association, usually forms light blue fine crystalline coatings, its fan-shaped aggregates up to 4 mm in size formed by elongated tabular crystals have also been found more rarely. Its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula (Ca1.14Mn0.03Mg0.02)Σ1.19(Cu3.08Zn0.73)Σ3.81(SO4)1.99 (PO4)0.02(OH)5.97·3H2O. Abundant brochantite forms bright green crystalline coatings and tiny dark green to black-green crystals. Its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula (Cu3.80Zn0.17Al0.02)Σ3.99(SO4)0.99(PO4)0.01(OH)6.00. The origin of studied mineral association is connected with sub-recent weathering of primary sulphides (pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite and chalcopyrite) in the conditions of abandoned mine space.

Very rare hydrated calcium arsenate, mineral ferrarisite, was found at the adit K4-2/1-3C (4th vein, level of the Gallery No. 2) of the abandoned uranium deposit Zálesí, Rychlebské hory Mountains, Silesia, Czech Republic. Ferrarisite occurs as colorless to white crystalline aggregates up to 9 × 6 mm with pearly lustre, formed by elongated tabular crystals resting on supergene altered carbonate gangue with nickelskutterudite and rammelsbergite. Associated minerals are arsenolite, annabergite, picropharmacolite, pharmacolite and guérinite. Ferrarisite is triclinic, space group P-1, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 18.2918(16), b 6.7217(13), c 11.190(2) Å, α 106.206(14)o, β 92.923(16)o, γ 99.166(15)o and V 588.2(2) Å3. Chemical analyses of ferrarisite correspond to the empirical formula (Ca5.00Ni0.01)Σ5.01(AsO3OH)1.99(AsO4)2.01·9H2O on the basis of As 4 apfu. The origin of ferraristie is interpreted as product of (sub)recent supergene alteration of primary arsenides in calcite gangue in environment of abandoned mine adits.

Within the research of secondary phosphates of the Bohemian Massif, an interesting phosphate mineralization was found on a historical sample from the Veselá hora pegmatite deposit near Domažlice (Czech Republic). Jahnsite-(CaMnFe), jahnsite-(MnMnFe), frondelite, messelite-fairfieldite, mitridatite, Mn-rich fluorapatite and parafiniukite were detected in a sample collected in the year 1944, at the time of feldspar mining in the Veselá Hora deposit. Older jahnsite forms flat elongated yellow-orange crystals, up to 2 mm in size in cavities of the phosphate matrix; its chemical composition ranges from jahnsite-(CaMnFe) to jahnsite-(MnMnFe). Younger jahnsite-(CaMnFe) was observed in flat crystals with vitreous lustre and light brown-orange to pink-orange colour. The structural data for both generations are very similar. The mineral is monoclinic, space group P2/a, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 15.009(3), b 7.1515(16), c 9.873(3) Å, β 111.1(5)° and V 988.4(3) Å3. Frondelite occurring in the cavity forms very dark green to black hemispherical aggregates, up to 1 mm in size, composed of radially arranged fibres. Frondelite is orthorhombic, space group Bbmm, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 13.828(5), b 16.960(6), c 5.175(2) Å and V 1214.7(5) Å3. Members of the messelite-fairfieldite solid solution were observed as yellowish grains and aggregates associated with mitridatite, Mn-rich fluorapatite, parafiniukite, jahnsite-(CaMnFe) and quartz. It is triclinic, space group P-1, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 5.476(4), b 5.763(3), c 6.566(2) Å, α 90.19(4)°, β 102.58(5)°, γ 108.45(4)° and V 988.4(3) Å3. The results of the WDS analyses and empirical formulas of all described phosphates are given in the paper.

A very rare secondary Zn-Al phosphate, kleemanite, was found in association with Al-rich chalcosiderite and krásnoite on samples from the Huber stock in the Krásno deposit near Horní Slavkov (Karlovy Vary Region, Czech Republic). Kleemanite forms small white needle-like to fibrous crystals clustering into urchin-like aggregates up to 2 mm in size. Individual crystals reach a length of up to 0.5 mm. The mineral grows on the walls of the corrosion cavity of the fluorapatite aggregate in quartz gangue. Its chemical composition corresponds to the empirical formula Zn1.02(Al2.04 Fe0.09)Σ2.13(PO4)2.00[(OH)2.41(F)0.04]Σ2.45·3H2O. Kleemanite is monoclinic, unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are a 7.286(8), b 7.194(5), c 9.774(8) Å, β 110.2(6)° and V 480.9(7) Å3. The Raman spectrum of kleemanite has not been published before and is included in this paper.

The uranium-lead mineralisation was found in the mine dump material in the locality Bezděkov (Tachov area, western Bohemia, Czech Republic). Galena occurs as coarse-grained aggregates up to 5 cm in size in quartz gangue, partly replaced by cerussite. Cerussite forms massive and powdery aggregates replacing galena. It is orthorhombic, space group Pmcn with unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data: a 5.1848(2), b 8.5001(3), c 6.1478(2) Å and V 270.937(13) Å3. Kasolite forms globular aggregates covering the area up to several cm2. It is monoclinic, space group P21/c, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 6.7133(6), b 6.9516(8), c 13.2666(14) Å, β 104.156(8)o and V 600.33(11) Å3. The chemical analyses of kasolite correspond to the empirical formula Pb1.12Fe0.03Ca0.02K0.01(UO2)1.11(SiO4)1.00·H2O on the base of Si = 1 apfu. The Bezděkov ore occurrence belongs to the shear-zone hosted uranium mineralisation. The discovered mineralization originated by the weathering of galena and uraninite in conditions of supergene zone in-situ.

A zeolite mineralization (stellerite, chabazite-K, heulandite-Ca, lévyne-Ca and erionite-Ca) in tiny cavities of Cenozoic basaltic rocks was sampled at the Malý Jelení vrch hill (500 m above sea level) near Stráž pod Ralskem, northern Bohemia (Czech Republic) and studied by means of electron microprobe and X-ray powder diffraction. Stellerite is the most interesting zeolite in association, this find is its second confirmed occurrence in the Czech Republic. Stellerite forms colourless to white prismatic crystals up to 3 mm in size and rare fan-shaped aggregates up to 1 cm in size. It is orthorhombic, space group Fmmm, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 13.614(2), b 18.226(2), c 17.862(2) Å and V 4432.1(9) Å3. Its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula (Ca4.23K0.53)Σ4.76(Si27.64Al8.11)O72·28 H2O on basis of 72 atoms of oxygen. The time sequence of crystallization of described mineralization at the Malý Jelení vrch hill is as follows: heulandite-Ca - stellerite - chabazite-K - lévyne-Ca - erionite-Ca - calcite.

Very rare hydrated copper selenite, mineral clinochalcomenite, was found in samples from the mine dump material of the shaft No. 11A Příbram-Bytíz, the Příbram uranium and base metal ore district, central Bohemia, Czech Republic. Clinochalcomenite occurs as green to bluish green spherical crystalline aggregates up to 1 mm in size. Associated minerals are brochantite, aurichalcite, devilline, schoepite, piretite and probably new copper uranyl selenite. Clinochalcomenite is monoclinic, space group P21/n, the unit-cell parameters refined from X-ray powder diffraction data are: a 8.155(3), b 8.595(2), c 6.272(2) Å, β 97.27(3)o and V 436.1(2) Å3. Its chemical analyses correspond to the empirical formula Cu0.96(SeO3)1.00·2H2O on the basis of Se+S = 1 apfu. Raman spectroscopy documents the presence of molecular water and selenite groups in the crystal structure of clinochalcomenite. The origin of clinochalcomenite is interpreted as product of (sub)recent supergene alteration of primary Cu selenides in calcite gangue in environment of mine dump material.