Glaukosphaerite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Glaukosphaerite
Formula:
(Cu,Ni)2(CO3)(OH)2
Ni is confined to one out of two cation sites, so ideal endmember is NiCu(CO3)(OH)2
Colour:
Apple-green to malachite-green
Lustre:
Sub-Vitreous, Silky, Dull
Hardness:
3 - 4
Specific Gravity:
3.78 - 3.96
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
The name is for the color (glaukos, Greek for blue-green, blue-grey) and spherulitic formation.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1711
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1711:0
IMA Classification of Glaukosphaerite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Cu2+Ni2+CO3(OH)2
Approval year:
1972
First published:
1974
Classification of Glaukosphaerite
5.BA.10
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
B : Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
A : With Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Mn
5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
B : Carbonates with additional anions, without H2O
A : With Cu, Co, Ni, Zn, Mg, Mn
16a.3.1.3
16a : ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : (AB)2(XO3)Zq
16a : ANHYDROUS CARBONATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
3 : (AB)2(XO3)Zq
11.14.8
11 : Carbonates
14 : Carbonates of Co and Ni
11 : Carbonates
14 : Carbonates of Co and Ni
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Gks | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Glaukosphaerite
Sub-Vitreous, Silky, Dull
Colour:
Apple-green to malachite-green
Streak:
Pale green
Hardness:
3 - 4 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
One, parallel to [001].
One, parallel to [001].
Density:
3.78 - 3.96 g/cm3 (Measured)
Optical Data of Glaukosphaerite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.69 - 1.71 nβ = 1.83 - 1.85 nγ = 1.83 - 1.85
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.140
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
Very High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized biaxial acute bisectrix (Bxa) interference figure
- the conoscopic view for a grain cut perpendicular to the acute bisectrix, using
this mineral's 2V. The two small white dots mark the melatopes - the points
where the two optic axes emerge - and are shown only when they fall within the
field of view. The coloured bands are isochromatics, and the dark bands are
isogyres.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
No measured or calculated 2V is on file for this mineral, so the value used here (-0°) is estimated from its recorded refractive indices and optic sign, not from a direct 2V measurement.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
No measured or calculated 2V is on file for this mineral, so the value used here (-0°) is estimated from its recorded refractive indices and optic sign, not from a direct 2V measurement.
Dispersion:
weak to moderate
Optical Extinction:
X ∧ c = 7°.
Chemistry of Glaukosphaerite
Mindat Formula:
(Cu,Ni)2(CO3)(OH)2
Ni is confined to one out of two cation sites, so ideal endmember is NiCu(CO3)(OH)2
Ni is confined to one out of two cation sites, so ideal endmember is NiCu(CO3)(OH)2
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Glaukosphaerite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/b
Setting:
P21/a
Cell Parameters:
a = 12.0613(4) Å, b = 9.3653(4) Å, c = 3.1351(1) Å
β = 98.085(5)°
β = 98.085(5)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.288 : 1 : 0.335
Unit Cell V:
350.61 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Fibrous, as spherules which may be concentrically zoned.
Crystal Structure
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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0007184 | Glaukosphaerite | Perchiazzi N, Merlino S (2006) The malachite-rosasite group: crystal structures of glaukosphaerite and pokrovskite European Journal of Mineralogy 18 787-792 | 2006 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 2.591 Å | (100) |
| 3.690 Å | (80) |
| 2.952 Å | (70) |
| 2.484 Å | (70) |
| 2.931 Å | (60) |
| 5.048 Å | (50) |
| 2.517 Å | (50) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals] | |
| 47c : [Carbonates, phosphates, borates, nitrates] |
Type Occurrence of Glaukosphaerite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Thin veinlets. Tiny spherules. Radiating aggregates of separate green fibers up to 3 mm.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines, Paris, France, number 50783 (cotype).
Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, number BM 1975,419 (holotype)
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, number 131889 (type).
Western Australian Museum, Perth, Australia, number MDC 5309 (holotype).
Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, number BM 1975,419 (holotype)
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, number 131889 (type).
Western Australian Museum, Perth, Australia, number MDC 5309 (holotype).
Geological Setting of Type Material:
In the oxidized zone of serpentinized-dunite rocks containing nickel.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Glaukosphaerite
Other Language Names for Glaukosphaerite
Relationship of Glaukosphaerite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Malachite-Rosasite Group:
| Chukanovite | Fe2+2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Kolwezite | CuCo(CO3)(OH)2 | Tric. |
| Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Mcguinnessite | (Mg,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m |
| Nullaginite | Ni2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Parádsasvárite | Zn2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Perchiazziite | Co2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Pokrovskite | Mg2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Rosasite | (Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Zincrosasite | (Zn,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 | Mon. |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 6 photos of Glaukosphaerite associated with Azurite | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
| 5 photos of Glaukosphaerite associated with Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 3 photos of Glaukosphaerite associated with Omsite | Ni2Fe3+(OH)6[Sb(OH)6] |
| 2 photos of Glaukosphaerite associated with Aragonite | CaCO3 |
| 2 photos of Glaukosphaerite associated with Erythrite | Co3(AsO4)2 · 8H2O |
| 2 photos of Glaukosphaerite associated with Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| 2 photos of Glaukosphaerite associated with Heterogenite | Co3+O(OH) |
| 2 photos of Glaukosphaerite associated with Gaspéite | NiCO3 |
| 2 photos of Glaukosphaerite associated with Georgeite | [Cu(OH)2-x(H2O)x][CO3]x/2 |
| 1 photo of Glaukosphaerite associated with Aurichalcite | (Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 5.BA.05 | Azurite | Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 |
| 5.BA.10 | Mcguinnessite | (Mg,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 5.BA.10 | Zincrosasite | (Zn,Cu)2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 5.BA.10 | Parádsasvárite | Zn2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 5.BA.10 | Rosasite | (Cu,Zn)2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 5.BA.10 | Nullaginite | Ni2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 5.BA.10 | Georgeite | [Cu(OH)2-x(H2O)x][CO3]x/2 |
| 5.BA.10 | Pokrovskite | Mg2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 5.BA.10 | Kolwezite | CuCo(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 5.BA.10 | Chukanovite | Fe2+2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 5.BA.10 | Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 5.BA.10 | Perchiazziite | Co2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| 5.BA.15 | Aurichalcite | (Zn,Cu)5(CO3)2(OH)6 |
| 5.BA.15 | Hydrozincite | Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6 |
| 5.BA.20 | Holdawayite | Mn6(CO3)2(OH)7(Cl,OH) |
| 5.BA.25 | 'UM1977-03-COSiO:CaClH' | Ca10-11(CO3)7(SiO4)Cl1-2(OH)1-2 |
| 5.BA.25 | Defernite | Ca6(CO3)1.58(Si2O7)0.21(OH)7[Cl0.50(OH)0.08(H2O)0.42] |
| 5.BA.30 | Sclarite | Zn7(CO3)2(OH)10 |
| 5.BA.30 | Loseyite | (Mn2+,Zn,Mg)4Zn3(CO3)2(OH)10 |
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Glaukosphaerite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1711.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Glaukosphaerite
Reference List:
Pryce, M. W., Just, J. (1974) Glaukosphaerite: A new nickel analogue of rosasite. Mineralogical Magazine, 39 (307) 737-743 doi:10.1180/minmag.1974.039.307.01
Jambor, J. L. (1976) A possible unit cell for glaukosphaerite. The Canadian Mineralogist, 14 (4) 574-576
Nickel, E. H., Berry, L. G. (1981) The new mineral nullaginite and additional data on the related minerals rosasite and glaukosphaerite. The Canadian Mineralogist, 19 (2) 315-324
Matsubara, Satoshi, Kato, Akira (1993) Gaspeite, glaukosphaerite, mcguinessite and jamborite in serpentinites from Shinshiro City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Journal of Mineralogy, Petrology and Economic Geology, 88 (11) 517-524 doi:10.2465/ganko.88.517
Perchiazzi, Natale; Merlino, Stefano (2006) The malachite-rosasite group: crystal structures of glaukosphaerite and pokrovskite. European Journal of Mineralogy, 18 (6). 787-792 doi:10.1127/0935-1221/2006/0018-0787
Frost, Ray L. (2006) A Raman spectroscopic study of selected minerals of the rosasite group. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 37 (9) 910-921 doi:10.1002/jrs.1521
Frost, Ray L., Reddy, B. Jagannadha, Wain, Daria L., Martens, Wayde N. (2007) Identification of the rosasite group minerals—An application of near infrared spectroscopy. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 66 (4) 1075-1081 doi:10.1016/j.saa.2006.04.043
Localities for Glaukosphaerite
Showing 36 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Australia (TL) | |
| Pryce et al. (1974) |
| Pryce et al. (1974) |
| Pryce et al. (1974) |
| Nickel et al. (1993) +1 other reference |
| Pryce et al. (1974) | |
| Pryce et al. (1974) | |
| Pryce et al. (1974) |
| Pryce et al. (1974) |
| Pryce et al. (1974) +2 other references |
Austria | |
| C.Auer (2024) |
| Christian Auer (2014) |
| R.Poeverlein (2016) |
| Schnorrer et al. (2002) |
| 58. +1 other reference |
DR Congo | |
| Lhoest (1992) +1 other reference |
France | |
| Berbain et al. (2007) +1 other reference |
| Queneau (n.d.) |
Germany | |
| Wittern (2001) |
Greece | |
| Schnorrer (1995) +1 other reference |
Italy | |
| Castellaro-Kampf |
| Carmagnola et al. (2019) |
| Bonifazi (2020) |
Japan | |
| Matsubara et al. (1993) |
Romania | |
| Onac (2002) | |
| Onac (2002) +1 other reference |
| Koller G.2009-2010 Own found. |
Russia | |
| Erokhin et al. (2023) |
South Africa | |
| Cairncross et al. (1995) |
| Cairncross et al. (1995) | |
Spain | |
| in Spanish version (Revista de Minerales) +1 other reference |
| Pedro Mingueza et al. (2022) |
| Abella i Creus (2018) |
| Xavi Ortiz Collection |
| Calvo Rebollar (2012) |
Switzerland | |
| Ansermet (2012) |
USA | |
| Rocks & Minerals. Nov. 1999. +1 other reference |
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Carr Boyd Rocks Ni mine, Menangina Station, Menzies Shire, Western Australia, Australia