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Petrogale Cave, Madura Roadhouse, Dundas Shire, Western Australia, Australiai
Regional Level Types
Petrogale CaveCave
Madura RoadhouseCommunity
Dundas ShireShire
Western AustraliaState
AustraliaCountry

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PhotosMapsSearch
03039690017271921036910.jpg
Archerite, etc.

Petrogale Cave, Madura Roadhouse, Dundas Shire, Western Australia, Australia
05383710017271978152910.jpg
Archerite

Petrogale Cave, Madura Roadhouse, Dundas Shire, Western Australia, Australia
08614330017271925619512.jpg
Oxammite

Petrogale Cave, Madura Roadhouse, Dundas Shire, Western Australia, Australia
03039690017271921036910.jpg
Archerite, etc.

Petrogale Cave, Madura Roadhouse, Dundas Shire, Western Australia, Australia
05784220017271921061360.jpg
Archerite

Petrogale Cave, Madura Roadhouse, Dundas Shire, Western Australia, Australia
08614330017271925619512.jpg
Oxammite

Petrogale Cave, Madura Roadhouse, Dundas Shire, Western Australia, Australia
03039690017271921036910.jpg
Archerite, etc.

Petrogale Cave, Madura Roadhouse, Dundas Shire, Western Australia, Australia
05784220017271921061360.jpg
Archerite

Petrogale Cave, Madura Roadhouse, Dundas Shire, Western Australia, Australia
Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
31° 52' 9'' South , 127° 23' 19'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
-31.86930,127.38872
GRN:
S22E77
Type:
Cave
Köppen climate type:
BWk : Cold desert climate
Mindat Locality ID:
228
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:228:7
GUID (UUID V4):
0


Petrogale is the genus name for rock wallaby.

The cave is 36 kilometres east of the Madura roadhouse on the edge of the scarp. It appears would be difficult to find, forming only a small sinkhole on the surface before opening out into a chamber further in.

The cave was discovered by Peter Bridge in a Western Australian Museum expedition in 1973. The new species archerite had been found at Murra-el-Evelyn Cave, but not in sufficient quantities to make a positive identification. A search was then undertaken for other caves which could contain the species. On the way back to Perth, the landrover was wrecked in a rollover, Bridge bemoaning the damage to his specimens.

At the surface it forms only a minor sinkhole, and there appears no easy access to the location. Once through the narrow sinkhole, it opens into a chamber with old calcite decorations. The mineralization was found at the far end of the cave, through several long chambers and tight clefts. Bats are wonderful creatures but keep a messy home. The species were formed from guano of the Chalinolobus morio bat, of which only a few were seen, but possibly more inhabit the cave seasonally. The floor of the cave was covered in dry guano dust, as any fresh material is devoured by coprophagic insects.

The walls show convoluted crusts and stalactites of the minerals. The stalactites are mainly composed of biphosphammite, with some other minerals (calcite and guanine), where they join the wall or ceiling. Some stalactites are composed mainly of aphthitalite.

Archerite was found in only a few samples as small tetragonal crystals to 2 mm long, and buff to clear coloured crusts, associated with biphosphammite, aphthitalite and guanine.

Mundrabillaite is named after the pastoral station on which the caves are located, and was discovered during Peter Bridge's 1973 visit, but only studied and IMA approved in 1983. It comes as tiny crystals associated with archerite, bisphosphammite, aphthitalite, halite, syngenite, stercorite, newberyite, calcite, and an unknown phosphate. The crystals are colourless, with an earthy lustre, white streak, soft and fragile.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List


14 valid minerals. 2 (TL) - type locality of valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Aphthitalite
Formula: (K,Na)3Na(SO4)2
ⓘ Archerite (TL)
Formula: (K,NH4)(H2PO4)
Type Locality:
Habit: Archerite is tetragonal with second order prisms and pyramids.
Colour: Buff to clear.
Description: Type material is stored in the collections of the Mineral Division, Government Chemical Laboratories, Perth, Western Australia. Bridge states that "Archerite occurs on only a few samples in the form of small tetragonal crystals up to 2 mm in length and crusts of a buff to clear colour. The specimens containing archerite are stalactites, with minor amounts occurring in the convoluted wall crusts, which are mainly aphthitalite". There is no distinct cleavage and the mineral is relatively soft with a white streak and is water-soluble.
ⓘ Biphosphammite
Formula: NH4(H2PO4)
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Guanine
Formula: C5H5N5O
ⓘ Halite
Formula: NaCl
ⓘ Mundrabillaite (TL)
Formula: (NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Type Locality:
Colour: Colourless
Description: Mundrabillaite is colourless with an earthy lustre and white streak. Its hardness is very low and it is fragile. Type specimens of mundrabillaite are preserved in the Government Chemical Laboratories - Perth, mineral collection as MDC 5906.
ⓘ Newberyite
Formula: Mg(PO3OH) · 3H2O
ⓘ Oxammite
Formula: (NH4)2(C2O4) · H2O
ⓘ Phoxite
Formula: (NH4)2Mg2(C2O4)(PO3OH)2(H2O)4
Description: Phoxite was first reported from here by Bridge (1977) but was listed as an unknown mineral at the time.
ⓘ Stercorite
Formula: (NH4)Na(PO3OH) · 4H2O
ⓘ Syngenite
Formula: K2Ca(SO4)2 · H2O
ⓘ Weddellite
Formula: Ca(C2O4) · (2.5-x)H2O
ⓘ Whitlockite
Formula: Ca9Mg(PO4)6(PO3OH)

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 3 - Halides
ⓘHalite3.AA.20NaCl
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘAphthitalite7.AC.35(K,Na)3Na(SO4)2
ⓘSyngenite7.CD.35K2Ca(SO4)2 · H2O
Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates
ⓘWhitlockite8.AC.45Ca9Mg(PO4)6(PO3OH)
ⓘArcherite (TL)8.AD.15(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
ⓘBiphosphammite8.AD.15NH4(H2PO4)
ⓘNewberyite8.CE.10Mg(PO3OH) · 3H2O
ⓘStercorite8.CJ.05(NH4)Na(PO3OH) · 4H2O
ⓘMundrabillaite (TL)8.CJ.10(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Group 10 - Organic Compounds
ⓘWeddellite10.AB.40Ca(C2O4) · (2.5-x)H2O
ⓘOxammite10.AB.55(NH4)2(C2O4) · H2O
ⓘPhoxite10.AB.60(NH4)2Mg2(C2O4)(PO3OH)2(H2O)4
ⓘGuanine10.CA.30C5H5N5O

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ Archerite(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
Hⓘ BiphosphammiteNH4(H2PO4)
Hⓘ GuanineC5H5N5O
Hⓘ Mundrabillaite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Hⓘ NewberyiteMg(PO3OH) · 3H2O
Hⓘ Oxammite(NH4)2(C2O4) · H2O
Hⓘ Stercorite(NH4)Na(PO3OH) · 4H2O
Hⓘ SyngeniteK2Ca(SO4)2 · H2O
Hⓘ WeddelliteCa(C2O4) · (2.5-x)H2O
Hⓘ WhitlockiteCa9Mg(PO4)6(PO3OH)
Hⓘ Phoxite(NH4)2Mg2(C2O4)(PO3OH)2(H2O)4
CCarbon
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Cⓘ GuanineC5H5N5O
Cⓘ Oxammite(NH4)2(C2O4) · H2O
Cⓘ WeddelliteCa(C2O4) · (2.5-x)H2O
Cⓘ Phoxite(NH4)2Mg2(C2O4)(PO3OH)2(H2O)4
NNitrogen
Nⓘ Archerite(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
Nⓘ BiphosphammiteNH4(H2PO4)
Nⓘ GuanineC5H5N5O
Nⓘ Mundrabillaite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Nⓘ Oxammite(NH4)2(C2O4) · H2O
Nⓘ Stercorite(NH4)Na(PO3OH) · 4H2O
Nⓘ Phoxite(NH4)2Mg2(C2O4)(PO3OH)2(H2O)4
OOxygen
Oⓘ Aphthitalite(K,Na)3Na(SO4)2
Oⓘ Archerite(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
Oⓘ BiphosphammiteNH4(H2PO4)
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ GuanineC5H5N5O
Oⓘ Mundrabillaite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Oⓘ NewberyiteMg(PO3OH) · 3H2O
Oⓘ Oxammite(NH4)2(C2O4) · H2O
Oⓘ Stercorite(NH4)Na(PO3OH) · 4H2O
Oⓘ SyngeniteK2Ca(SO4)2 · H2O
Oⓘ WeddelliteCa(C2O4) · (2.5-x)H2O
Oⓘ WhitlockiteCa9Mg(PO4)6(PO3OH)
Oⓘ Phoxite(NH4)2Mg2(C2O4)(PO3OH)2(H2O)4
NaSodium
Naⓘ Aphthitalite(K,Na)3Na(SO4)2
Naⓘ HaliteNaCl
Naⓘ Stercorite(NH4)Na(PO3OH) · 4H2O
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ NewberyiteMg(PO3OH) · 3H2O
Mgⓘ WhitlockiteCa9Mg(PO4)6(PO3OH)
Mgⓘ Phoxite(NH4)2Mg2(C2O4)(PO3OH)2(H2O)4
PPhosphorus
Pⓘ Archerite(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
Pⓘ BiphosphammiteNH4(H2PO4)
Pⓘ Mundrabillaite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Pⓘ NewberyiteMg(PO3OH) · 3H2O
Pⓘ Stercorite(NH4)Na(PO3OH) · 4H2O
Pⓘ WhitlockiteCa9Mg(PO4)6(PO3OH)
Pⓘ Phoxite(NH4)2Mg2(C2O4)(PO3OH)2(H2O)4
SSulfur
Sⓘ Aphthitalite(K,Na)3Na(SO4)2
Sⓘ SyngeniteK2Ca(SO4)2 · H2O
ClChlorine
Clⓘ HaliteNaCl
KPotassium
Kⓘ Aphthitalite(K,Na)3Na(SO4)2
Kⓘ Archerite(K,NH4)(H2PO4)
Kⓘ SyngeniteK2Ca(SO4)2 · H2O
CaCalcium
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Caⓘ Mundrabillaite(NH4)2Ca(PO3OH)2 · H2O
Caⓘ SyngeniteK2Ca(SO4)2 · H2O
Caⓘ WeddelliteCa(C2O4) · (2.5-x)H2O
Caⓘ WhitlockiteCa9Mg(PO4)6(PO3OH)

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Australia
Australian PlateTectonic Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

rruff.geo.arizona.edu (n.d.) http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/mm/vol47/MM47_80.pdf
Bridge, P. J. (1977) Archerite, (K,NH4)H2PO4, a new mineral from Madura, Western Australia. Mineralogical Magazine, 41 (317) 33-35 doi:10.1180/minmag.1977.041.317.05
Bridge, P. J., Clarke, R. M. (1983) Mundrabillaite—A new cave mineral from Western Australia. Mineralogical Magazine, 47 (342) 80-81 doi:10.1180/minmag.1983.047.342.15
Frost, Ray L.; Palmer, Sara J. (2011) Thermal stability of stercorite H(NH4)Na(PO4)·4H2O. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 107 (3). 901-903 doi:10.1007/s10973-011-1560-3
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