Yukonite (original) (raw)

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered

About YukoniteHide

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Formula:

Ca3Fe3+(AsO4)2(OH)3 · 5H2O

Colour:

Red-brown, dark brown, nearly black, dark purple

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Name:

Named in 1913 by Joseph Burr Tyrrell and Ronald P. D. Graham for its discovery locality, the Daulton Mine, west side of Windy Arm, Tagish Lake, Yukon, Canada.

Easily confused with Arseniosiderite and identifiable only with XRD methods, although yukonite is frequently amorphous to X-rays.
Paktunc et al. (2015) consider yukonite a "nanocrystalline precursor and Ca-deficient variety of arseniosiderite". King et al. (2020 online) show that yukonite is a nano-sized analog of arseniosiderite which lacks any long-range order but is locally similar.

Note: The "yukonite" described by Nishikawa et al. (2006) may in fact be identical to the Unnamed (Arseniosiderite-related mineral).

Unique IdentifiersHide

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Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:4377:5

4417ec44-a184-4195-8658-3e3b0aaa4b05

IMA Classification of YukoniteHide

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Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)

IMA Formula:

Ca2Fe3+3(AsO4)3(OH)4 · 4H2O

Classification of YukoniteHide

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8.DM.25

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
M : With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 > 2:1

42.8.6.1

42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
8 : (AB)5(XO4)3Zq·xH2O

20.9.12

20 : Arsenates (also arsenates with phosphate, but without other anions)
9 : Arsenates of Fe

Mineral SymbolsHide

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As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.

Pronunciation of YukoniteHide

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Pronunciation:

Physical Properties of YukoniteHide

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Transparency:

Translucent, Opaque

Colour:

Red-brown, dark brown, nearly black, dark purple

Fracture:

Conchoidal, Sub-Conchoidal

Density:

2.65 g/cm3 (Measured)

Comment:

Original material absorbed water rapidly and increased in specific gravity over time.

Optical Data of YukoniteHide

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Pleochroism:

Non-pleochroic

Chemistry of YukoniteHide

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Mindat Formula:

Ca3Fe3+(AsO4)2(OH)3 · 5H2O

Crystallography of YukoniteHide

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Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Class (H-M):

m _m_2 - Pyramidal

Cell Parameters:

a = 19.6 Å

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Unit Cell V:

0.00 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

Occurs in pitchy to waxy masses or earthy coatings on fractures in rock. TEM shows crude 5 nm platy shapes with {001}, {100}, and small {110}.

Comment:

Poorly crystalline and frequently amorphous to x-rays. "a orth = √3a hex = 19.6 Å" Also Pseudohexagonal (d 100 = 9.8, a hex =11.3) (Nishikawa et al, 2006).

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

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Powder Diffraction Data:

Comments:

XRD pattern richer in lines are also known (U. Kolitsch, unpublished data). Dunn (1982) gave a similar set of d values.

Geological EnvironmentHide

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Type Occurrence of YukoniteHide

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General Appearance of Type Material:

Black bright pitchy lumps with deep yellow to brown internal reflections. The lumps of yukonite decrepitated from the heat of handling or when submersed in water due to escape and expansion of enclosed carbon dioxide.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1916,454.
Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 18594.
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, M11468.
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, R5783.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Quartz-sulfide ore veins.

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Other Language Names for YukoniteHide

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Varieties of YukoniteHide

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Common AssociatesHide

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Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

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Fluorescence of YukoniteHide

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Other InformationHide

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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 YukoniteHide

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References for YukoniteHide

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Reference List:

King, G., Celikin, M., Gomez, M.A., Becze, L., Petkov, V., Della Ventura, G.: Revealing the structures and relationships of Ca(II)–Fe(III)–AsO4 minerals: arseniosiderite and yukonite. Environmental Science: Nano. Publ. date: 2020-10-20, DOI: 10.1039/d0en00503g

Nishikawa, O., Okrugin, V., Belkova, N., Saji, I., Shiraki, K., Tazaki, K. (2006) Crystal symmetry and chemical composition of yukonite: TEM study of specimens collected from Nalychevskie hot springs, Kamchatka, Russia and from Venus Mine, Yukon Territory, Canada. Mineralogical Magazine: 70: 73-81.

Garavelli, A., Pinto, D., Vurro, F., Mellini, M., Viti, C., Balić-Žunić, T. (2009) Yukonite from “Grotta del Monaca” cave, Sant'Agata di Esaro, Italy: characterization and comparison with cotype material from Daulton mine, Yukon, Canada. The Canadian Mineralogist: 47: 39-51.

Paktunc, Dogan, Majzlan, Juraj, Huang, Artis, Thibault, Yves, Johnson, Michel B., White, Mary Anne (2015) Synthesis, characterization, and thermodynamics of arsenates forming in the Ca-Fe(III)-As(V)-NO3system: Implications for the stability of Ca-Fe arsenates. American Mineralogist, 100 (8) 1803-1820 doi:10.2138/am-2015-5199

Localities for YukoniteHide

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This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListHide

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- 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). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.