Boyleite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Boyleite
Robert W. Boyle
Formula:
ZnSO4 · 4H2O
Colour:
White
Lustre:
Earthy
Hardness:
2
Specific Gravity:
2.41 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named after Dr. Robert William Boyle (3 June 1920 – 5 August 2003), Canadian geochemist, Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Canada. He noted the same mineral earlier at Keno Hill, Canada.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
746
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:746:1
Similar Names
| Baulite | A rock subtype | |
| Belite | A synonym of Larnite | |
| Bellite | A variety of Mimetite | Pb5(AsO4,CrO4,SiO4)3Cl |
| Belloite | A valid IMA mineral species | Cu(OH)Cl |
| Bialite | A synonym of Wavellite | |
| Blueite | A variety of Marcasite | (Fe,Ni)S2 |
| Boleite | A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered | KPb26Ag9Cu24(OH)48Cl62 |
| Doyleite | A valid IMA mineral species | Al(OH)3 |
IMA Classification of Boyleite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Zn2+S6+O4·4H2O
Approval year:
1977
First published:
1978
Classification of Boyleite
7.CB.15
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
C : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, with H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
C : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, with H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations
29.6.6.5
29 : HYDRATED ACID AND NORMAL SULFATES
6 : AXO4·xH2O
29 : HYDRATED ACID AND NORMAL SULFATES
6 : AXO4·xH2O
25.5.6
25 : Sulphates
5 : Sulphates of Zn and Hg
25 : Sulphates
5 : Sulphates of Zn and Hg
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Boy | 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 Boyleite
Earthy
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
White
Streak:
White
Hardness:
2 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
2.41 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Boyleite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.522 nβ = 1.531 nγ = 1.536
2V:
Measured: 70° , Calculated: 72°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.014
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:
None to Very Low
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.
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.
Dispersion:
relatively strong
Chemistry of Boyleite
Mindat Formula:
ZnSO4 · 4H2O
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Boyleite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/c
Setting:
P21/n
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.95 Å, b = 13.60 Å, c = 7.96 Å
β = 90.4°
β = 90.4°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.438 : 1 : 0.585
Unit Cell V:
644.11 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Show
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
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Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
Remove metal-metal sticks
Display Options
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Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
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2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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Rotation
Stop | Start
Stop | Start
Labels
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0019607 | Boyleite | Anderson J L, Peterson R C, Swainson I (2012) The atomic structure of deuterated boyleite ZnSO4*4D2O, ilesite MnSO4*4D2O, and bianchite ZnSO4*6D2O American Mineralogist 97 1905-1914 | 2012 | synthetic | 0 | 293 | |
| 0010369 | Boyleite | Blake A J, Cooke P A, Hubberstey P, Sampson C L (2001) Zinc(II) sulfate tetrahydrate Acta Crystallographica E57 i109-i111 |  | 2001 | synthetic | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 5.46 Å | (100) |
| 4.47 Å | (100) |
| 6.85 Å | (80) |
| 3.96 Å | (80) |
| 3.39 Å | (70) |
| 2.95 Å | (70) |
| 2.55 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] | |
| 47e : [Vanadates, chromates, manganates] | |
| Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
| 55 : Anthropogenic mine minerals |
Type Occurrence of Boyleite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Reniform masses
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 137413.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Alteration of sphalerite
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Boyleite
Other Language Names for Boyleite
Relationship of Boyleite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Rozenite Group:
| Aplowite | CoSO4 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m |
| Drobecite | CdSO4 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/m |
| Ilesite | Mn2+(SO4) · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m |
| Rozenite | FeSO4 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/c |
| Starkeyite | MgSO4 · 4H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/c |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 7.CB. | Sarvodaite | Al2(SO4)3 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.02 | Voudourisite | CdSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Szmikite | MnSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Szomolnokite | FeSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Cobaltkieserite | CoSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Dwornikite | Ni(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Kieserite | MgSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Poitevinite | (Cu,Fe)SO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Gunningite | ZnSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.07 | Sanderite | MgSO4 · 2H2O |
| 7.CB.10 | Bonattite | CuSO4 · 3H2O |
| 7.CB.12 | Belogubite | CuZn(SO4)2 · 10H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Drobecite | CdSO4 · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Aplowite | CoSO4 · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Cranswickite | MgSO4 · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Rozenite | FeSO4 · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Starkeyite | MgSO4 · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Ilesite | Mn2+(SO4) · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.20 | Siderotil | FeSO4 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.20 | Jôkokuite | MnSO4 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.20 | Pentahydrite | MgSO4 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.20 | Chalcanthite | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.25 | Chvaleticeite | Mn2+(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.25 | Nickelhexahydrite | Ni2+(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.25 | Hexahydrite | Mg(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.25 | Bianchite | Zn(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.25 | Moorhouseite | Co2+(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.25 | Ferrohexahydrite | Fe2+(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.30 | Retgersite | NiSO4 · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Zincmelanterite | Zn(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Melanterite | Fe2+(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Alpersite | (Mg,Cu2+)(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Bieberite | Co2+(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Boothite | Cu2+(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Mallardite | Mn2+(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.40 | Epsomite | MgSO4 · 7H2O |
| 7.CB.40 | Goslarite | ZnSO4 · 7H2O |
| 7.CB.40 | Morenosite | NiSO4 · 7H2O |
| 7.CB.45 | Meta-alunogen | Al2(SO4)3 · 12H2O |
| 7.CB.45 | Alunogen | Al2(SO4)3 · 17H2O |
| 7.CB.50 | Aluminocoquimbite | Al2Fe2(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.50 | Lazaridisite | Cd3(SO4)3 · 8H2O |
| 7.CB.52 | Pararaisaite | CuMg[Te6+O4(OH)2] · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.55 | Paracoquimbite | Fe4(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.55 | Rhomboclase | (H5O2)Fe3+(SO4)2 · 2H2O |
| 7.CB.55 | Raisaite | CuMg[Te6+O4(OH)2] · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.55 | Coquimbite | AlFe3(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.57 | 'Caichengyunite' | Fe2+3Al2(SO4)6 · 30H2O |
| 7.CB.60 | Kornelite | Fe2(SO4)3 · 7H2O |
| 7.CB.65 | Quenstedtite | Fe2(SO4)3 · 11H2O |
| 7.CB.70 | Lausenite | Fe2(SO4)3 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.75 | Römerite | Fe2+Fe3+2(SO4)4 · 14H2O |
| 7.CB.75 | Lishizhenite | ZnFe2(SO4)4 · 14H2O |
| 7.CB.80 | Ransomite | CuFe2(SO4)4 · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Dietrichite | ZnAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Halotrichite | Fe2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Apjohnite | Mn2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Redingtonite | Fe2+Cr3+2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Pickeringite | MgAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Bílinite | Fe2+Fe3+2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Wupatkiite | Co2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.90 | Meridianiite | MgSO4 · 11H2O |
Other Information
Notes:
Dehydrates in dry rooms to gunningite.
Soluble in water.
Soluble in water.
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 Boyleite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-746.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
Search Engines:
External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Boyleite
Reference List:
Fleischer, Michael, Chao, George Y., Pabst, and Adolf (1979) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 64 (1-2) 241-245
Fleischer, Michael, Chao, George Y., Pabst, and Adolf (1979) New Mineral Names. American Mineralogist, 64 (3-4) 464-467
Blake, Alexander J.; Cooke, Paul A.; Hubberstey, Peter; Sampson, Claire L. (2001) Zinc(II) sulfate tetrahydrate. Acta Crystallographica Section E Structure Reports Online, 57 (12). i109-i111 doi:10.1107/s1600536801017998
Localities for Boyleite
Showing 34 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.
Argentina | |
| Bengochea +1 other reference |
Australia | |
| Anderson et al. (2012) |
| Ashley et al. (1999) |
| Ashley et al. (1999) |
Bulgaria | |
| Zidarov et al. (2010) |
Canada | |
| Anderson et al. (2012) |
| Gait et al. (1990) |
| CMMA Micro-News 41-1 (2007) |
| Mineralogical Society of America - ... |
Costa Rica | |
| Ulloa et al. (2018) |
Czech Republic | |
| Pauliš et al. (2015) |
Germany (TL) | |
| Walenta (1978) |
| Jambor et al. (1962) |
| SEM-EDS and XRD by Joy Desor and ... |
Greece | |
| Blaß et al. (1998) |
| Wendel et al. (1999) | |
| Triantafyllidis et al. (2007) |
Ireland | |
| Balassone et al. (2008) |
Italy | |
| Del Prete S. et al. (2002) |
| Ciriotti M.E. & Blass.G. (2010) |
Japan | |
| Shimada (1982) |
Mexico | |
| Yta et al. (2005) |
| Morgan (2017) |
Norway | |
| Bryhni (1993) |
| Bryhni (1993) | |
Poland | |
| Cabała et al. (2008) |
Russia | |
| Kasatkin et al. (2014) |
| Eremin et al. (2014) |
Spain | |
| Calvo Rebollar et al. (2022) |
| FMF Forum |
Switzerland | |
| Perroud et al. (1987) +2 other references |
USA | |
| Excalibur Mineral Company specimen |
| Kampf et al. (2016) +1 other reference |
| Kampf et al. (2015) |
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Baccu Locci Mine, Villaputzu, South Sardinia Province, Sardinia, Italy