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Plumbophyllite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Plumbophyllite
Formula:
Pb2Si4O10 · H2O
Colour:
pale blue to very light blue-green
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
5
Specific Gravity:
3.96
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
The mineral is named for its essential Pb content and its silicate sheet structure (Greek φύλλον = leaf).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
38703
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:38703:9
IMA Classification of Plumbophyllite
Classification of Plumbophyllite
9.EA.85
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
A : Single nets of tetrahedra with 4-, 5-, (6-), and 8-membered rings
9 : SILICATES (Germanates)
E : Phyllosilicates
A : Single nets of tetrahedra with 4-, 5-, (6-), and 8-membered rings
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pbp | 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 Plumbophyllite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
Pale blue to very light blue-green
Streak:
White
Hardness:
5 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
{100}
{100}
Fracture:
Splintery
Density:
3.96(5) g/cm3 (Measured) 3.940 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Plumbophyllite
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.674(2) nβ = 1.684(2) nγ = 1.708(2)
2V:
Measured: 66° , Calculated: 66.5°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.034
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.
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:
Strong r > v dispersion
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic
Chemistry of Plumbophyllite
Mindat Formula:
Pb2Si4O10 · H2O
Element Weights:
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Plumbophyllite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm(2/m2/m2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pbcn
Cell Parameters:
a = 13.2083 Å, b = 9.7832 Å, c = 8.6545 Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.35 : 1 : 0.885
Unit Cell V:
1,118.33 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Plumbophyllite forms prismatic crystals, elongate on c, with wedge-shaped terminations
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
Remove metal-metal sticks
Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
Polyhedra Off | Si Polyhedra | All Polyhedra
Remove metal-metal sticks
Display Options
Black Background | White Background
Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
Black Background | White Background
Perspective On | Perspective Off
2D | Stereo | Red-Blue | Red-Cyan
View
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
Rotation
Stop | Start
Stop | Start
Labels
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
Console Off | On | Grey | Yellow
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0004972 | Plumbophyllite | Kampf A R, Rossman G R, Housley R M (2009) Plumbophyllite, a new species from the Blue Bell claims near Baker, San Bernardino County, California American Mineralogist 94 1198-1204 |  | 2009 | Blue Bell claims near Baker, San Bernardino County, California, USA | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 7.883 Å | (97) |
| 6.625 Å | (35) |
| 4.897 Å | (38) |
| 3.623 Å | (100) |
| 3.166 Å | (45) |
| 2.938 Å | (57) |
| 2.555 Å | (51) |
| 2.243 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] | |
| 47h : [Near-surface oxidized, dehydrated minerals] |
Type Occurrence of Plumbophyllite
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, catalog numbers 58829, 58830, 58831, and 58832 (cotypes)
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Oxidation zone
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Plumbophyllite
Other Language Names for Plumbophyllite
Dutch:Plumbophylliet
German:Plumbophyllit
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 7 photos of Plumbophyllite associated with Quartz | SiO2 |
| 6 photos of Plumbophyllite associated with Mimetite | Pb5(AsO4)3Cl |
| 6 photos of Plumbophyllite associated with 'Opal-AN' | SiO2 · nH2O |
| 5 photos of Plumbophyllite associated with Plumbotsumite | Pb13(CO3)6(Si10O27) · 3H2O |
| 2 photos of Plumbophyllite associated with Cerussite | PbCO3 |
| 2 photos of Plumbophyllite associated with Fluorite | CaF2 |
| 1 photo of Plumbophyllite associated with Perite | PbBiClO2 |
| 1 photo of Plumbophyllite associated with Opal | SiO2 · nH2O |
| 1 photo of Plumbophyllite associated with Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 9.EA. | Hydroxymcglassonite-(K) | KSr4Si8O20(OH) · 8H2O |
| 9.EA. | Miyawakiite-(Y) | ◻Y4Fe2(Si8O20)(CO3)4(H2O)3 |
| 9.EA. | Bussyite-(Y) | (Y,REE,Ca)3(Na,Ca)6MnSi9Be5(O,OH,F)34 |
| 9.EA. | Hydroxyapophyllite-(NH4) | (NH4)Ca4(Si8O20)(OH)(H2O)8 |
| 9.EA. | Fluorapophyllite-(NH4) | NH4Ca4(Si8O20)F · 8H2O |
| 9.EA.05 | Gillespite | BaFe2+Si4O10 |
| 9.EA.05 | Cuprorivaite | CaCuSi4O10 |
| 9.EA.05 | Wesselsite | SrCuSi4O10 |
| 9.EA.05 | Effenbergerite | BaCuSi4O10 |
| 9.EA.07 | Fluorapophyllite-(Cs) | CsCa4(Si8O20)F · 8H2O |
| 9.EA.10 | Ekanite | Ca2ThSi8O20 |
| 9.EA.15 | Fluorapophyllite-(Na) | NaCa4(Si8O20)F · 8H2O |
| 9.EA.15 | Fluorapophyllite-(K) | KCa4(Si8O20)(F,OH) · 8H2O |
| 9.EA.15 | Hydroxyapophyllite-(K) | KCa4(Si8O20)(OH,F) · 8H2O |
| 9.EA.20 | Magadiite | Na2Si14O29 · 11H2O |
| 9.EA.25 | Dalyite | K2ZrSi6O15 |
| 9.EA.25 | Davanite | K2TiSi6O15 |
| 9.EA.30 | Sazhinite-(La) | Na3La[Si6O15] · 2H2O |
| 9.EA.30 | Sazhinite-(Ce) | Na3CeSi6O15 · 2H2O |
| 9.EA.35 | Armstrongite | CaZr[Si6O15] · 3H2O |
| 9.EA.40 | Okenite | Ca10Si18O46 · 18H2O |
| 9.EA.45 | Perettiite-(Y) | Y2Mn4FeSi2B8O24 |
| 9.EA.45 | Nekoite | Ca3Si6O15 · 7H2O |
| 9.EA.45 | Badakhshanite-(Y) | Y2Mn4Al(Si2B7BeO24) |
| 9.EA.47 | Shlykovite | KCa[Si4O9(OH)] · 3H2O |
| 9.EA.50 | Diegogattaite | Na2CaCu2Si8O20 · H2O |
| 9.EA.50 | Cavansite | Ca(VO)Si4O10 · 4H2O |
| 9.EA.52 | Yangite | PbMnSi3O8 · H2O |
| 9.EA.55 | Pentagonite | Ca(VO)Si4O10 · 4H2O |
| 9.EA.60 | Penkvilksite | Na4Ti2Si8O22 · 4H2O |
| 9.EA.60 | Tumchaite | Na2Zr(Si4O11) · 2H2O |
| 9.EA.65 | Nabesite | Na2BeSi4O10 · 4H2O |
| 9.EA.70 | Ajoite | (K,Na)Cu7AlSi9O24(OH)6 · 3H2O |
| 9.EA.75 | Zeravshanite | Na2Cs4Zr3[Si18O45]*2H2O |
| 9.EA.80 | Bussyite-(Ce) | (Ce,REE)3(Na,H2O)6MnSi9Be5(O,OH)30F4 |
Fluorescence of Plumbophyllite
None
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 Plumbophyllite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-38703.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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External Links:
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References for Plumbophyllite
Reference List:
Kampf, A. R., Rossman, G. R., Housley, R. M. (2009) Plumbophyllite, a new species from the Blue Bell claims near Baker, San Bernardino County, California. American Mineralogist, 94 (8) 1198-1204 doi:10.2138/am.2009.3156
minerals.gps.caltech.edu (n.d.) http://minerals.gps.caltech.edu/Manuscripts/2009/Plumbophyllite/Index.html
Localities for Plumbophyllite
Showing 4 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 | |
| R. Bottrill |
USA | |
| Fred DeVito collection |
| Kampf et al. (2009) +1 other reference |
| Collected by and in the collection of ... |
Quick NavTopAbout PlumbophylliteUnique IdentifiersIMA Classification Classification Mineral SymbolsPhysical Properties Optical Data Chemistry Crystallography Crystal StructureX-Ray Powder DiffractionGeological EnvironmentType Occurrence SynonymsOther LanguagesCommon AssociatesStrunz-MindatFluorescence Other InformationInternet Links References Localities Locality List
Blue Bell Mine, Zzyzx, Soda Mountains, Silver Lake Mining District, San Bernardino County, California, USA