May 20 2014
Burckhardtite was named after Carlos Burckhardt (1869-1935), a Mexican geologist.
Properties of Burckhardtite
The following are the key properties of burckhardtite:
- Cell Data
- Space group: C-centered cell
- a = 5.21
- b = 9.04
- C =12.85
- β = 90°
- Z = 2
- Crystal Data
- Monoclinic; pseudohexagonal
- Point group: n.d.
- Rarely as hexagonal crystals, to 50µm, typically overgrown on dickite
- As crystal rosettes, < 0.2mm
- X-ray powder pattern: 3.11 (100), 12.8 (90), 3.70 (90), 2.60 (70), 1.840 (60), 1.590 (50), 2.26 (30b)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
| PbO |
45.23 |
| SiO2 |
20.28 |
| TeO2 |
17.03 |
| Fe2O3 |
7.25 |
| Al2O3 |
5.44 |
| H2O |
[3.59] |
| Mn2O3 |
1.18 |
| Total |
[100.00] |
- Optical Properties
- Optical Class: Biaxial (–)
- Pleochroism: X = pale magenta; Y = Z = carmine
- α = 1.82; β = 1.85 ; γ = 1.85
- 2V(meas.) = Small
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density) = 4.36 g/cm3
note: Specific gravity of Burckhardtite = 4.96 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PEBurckhardtite = 824.4 barns/electron
U=PEBurckhardtite x ρ electron density = 3,593.24 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.11
Boson index = 0.89 |
Radioactivity
|
Burckhardtite is not radioactive
|
How to Identify Burckhardtite
Burckhardtite can be identified in the field by its color variations, such as violet-red, carmine-red, and pink. It has {001} perfect cleavage. This mineral has an adamantine - pearly luster, with light red streak.
The density of Burckhardtite is 4.96 g/cm3 with a hardness of 2 – approximate to gypsum.
Global Distribution
Burckhardtite is distributed in the following places:
- Mexico -In the Moctezuma mine, Moctezuma, Sonora
- USA – Arizona Cochise Co. Huachuca Mts, Hartford District (Huachuca Mountains District), Carr Canyon, Reef Mine (Tungsten Reef Mine; Exposed Reef Mine; Sitric Mine; Reef group of claims); California, San Bernardino Co. Baker, Otto Mountain, Bird Nest drift
Occurrence of Burckhardtite and Useful Mineral Association
Burckhardtite typically occurs in a breccia, loosely cemented by dickite, in very thin disseminations on quartz fragments.
It is often associated with minerals such as moctezumite, zemannite, tellurite, dickite, barite, and quartz.
References