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Metaheimite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Metaheimite
Albert Heim (1849 – 1937)
Formula:
PbCu2(AsO4)(OH)3
Colour:
light blue to blue or turquoise blue
Lustre:
Vitreous, Silky
Specific Gravity:
5.47 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
The name metaheimite recognizes its similarity to heimite, named after Albert Heim (1849 – 1937), as well as the lack of water molecules coordinating the Cu-cations.
The crystal structure consists of layers similar to those occurring in heimite, PbCu2(AsO4)(OH)3·2H2O, but with 6+2 coordinated Pb2+. The lack of water molecules in metaheimite causes different interlayer hydrogen bonding and consequently, different layer stacking order as compared to that in heimite. In metaheimite, Cu2+ therefore occurs in a square-pyramidal coordination by five oxygen atoms.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
471611
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:471611:8
IMA Classification of Metaheimite
Approved
IMA Formula:
Pb2+Cu2+2(As5+O4)(OH)3
Approval year:
2023
Classification of Metaheimite
8.BL.
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
L : With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 3:1
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
B : Phosphates, etc., with additional anions, without H2O
L : With medium-sized and large cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 = 3:1
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mhim | 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 Metaheimite
Vitreous, Silky
Colour:
Light blue to blue or turquoise blue
Streak:
Light blue
Comment:
Due to the small size and the extreme brittleness of the crystals no Mohs- or micro-indentation hardness could be determined
Tenacity:
Very brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
perfect cleavage on {001}
perfect cleavage on {001}
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
5.47 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Metaheimite
Type:
Biaxial
Comments:
nav(calc)=1.894
Chemistry of Metaheimite
Mindat Formula:
PbCu2(AsO4)(OH)3
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Metaheimite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/c
Setting:
P21/n
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.8347(4) Å, b = 7.7528(6) Å, c = 13.8899(9) Å
β = 90.018(3)°
β = 90.018(3)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.753 : 1 : 1.792
Unit Cell V:
628.31 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 7.070 Å | (43) |
| 3.863 Å | (67) |
| 3.139 Å | (100) |
| 2.926 Å | (38) |
| 2.778 Å | (37) |
| 2.673 Å | (59) |
| 2.546 Å | (41) |
| 1.609 Å | (44) |
Type Occurrence of Metaheimite
General Appearance of Type Material:
radial aggregates of up to 500 μm radius, composed of blade like crystals
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Type material is deposited in the collections of the Mineralogical Museum, Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels, Grindelallee 48, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany, registration number ro-3702
Geological Setting of Type Material:
The Grosses Chalttal Cu and partly U mineralization has a sedimentary origin with at least two phases of later remobilization
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Metaheimite
Other Language Names for Metaheimite
Dutch:Metaheimiet
German:Metaheimit
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 8.BL. | Kiryuite | NaMnAl(PO4)F3 |
| 8.BL. | Graulichite-(La) | LaFe3+3(AsO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL. | Cloudite | BaFe3+3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL. | Oberwolfachite | SrFe3+3(AsO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL. | Arsenobenauite | SrFe3+3(AsO4)(AsO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.05 | Gallobeudantite | PbGa3(AsO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.05 | Slottaite | SrFe3+3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.05 | Corkite | PbFe3+3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.05 | Hidalgoite | PbAl3(AsO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.05 | Hinsdalite | PbAl3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.05 | 'UM2011-07-POSO:AlBaH' | BaAl3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.05 | Kemmlitzite | SrAl3(AsO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.05 | Beudantite | PbFe3+3(AsO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.05 | Weilerite | BaAl3(AsO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.05 | Woodhouseite | CaAl3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.05 | Svanbergite | SrAl3(PO4)(SO4)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Segnitite | PbFe3+3AsO4(AsO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Arsenogoyazite | SrAl3(AsO4)(AsO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Arsenogorceixite | BaAl3(AsO4)(AsO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Dussertite | BaFe3+3(AsO4)(AsO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Galloplumbogummite | Pb(Ga,Al,Ge)3(PO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Stibiosegnitite | Pb(Fe3+2.5Sb5+0.5)(AsO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 va | 'Viséite' | |
| 8.BL.10 | Arsenocrandallite | CaAl3(AsO4)(AsO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Benauite | SrFe3+3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Philipsbornite | PbAl3(AsO4)(AsO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Crandallite | CaAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Springcreekite | BaV3+3(PO4)2(OH,H2O)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Eylettersite | Th0.75Al3(PO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Kintoreite | PbFe3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Plumbogummite | PbAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Gorceixite | BaAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.10 | Goyazite | SrAl3(PO4)(PO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | Florencite-(Ce) | CeAl3(PO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | Florencite-(La) | LaAl3(PO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | Florencite-(Nd) | NdAl3(PO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | Zaïrite | BiFe3+3(PO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | Arsenoflorencite-(La) | LaAl3(AsO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | 'Arsenoflorencite-(Nd)' | NdAl3(AsO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | 'Unnamed (As-analogue of Zaïrite)' | (Bi,Pb)Fe3+3(AsO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | Arsenoflorencite-(Ce) | CeAl3(AsO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | Graulichite-(Ce) | CeFe3+3(AsO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | 'Arsenowaylandite' | BiAl3(AsO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | Waylandite | BiAl3(PO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.13 | Florencite-(Sm) | SmAl3(PO4)2(OH)6 |
| 8.BL.15 | Viitaniemiite | Na(Ca,Mn2+)Al(PO4)(F,OH)3 |
| 8.BL.25 | Pattersonite | PbFe3+3(PO4)2(OH)5 · H2O |
Fluorescence of Metaheimite
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 Metaheimite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-471611.html
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References for Metaheimite
Reference List:
Bosi, Ferdinando; Hatert, Frédéric; Pasero, Marco; Mills, Stuart J. (2025) IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) – Newsletter 83. European Journal of Mineralogy, 37 (1). 75-78 doi:10.5194/ejm-37-75-2025
Bosi, Ferdinando; Hatert, Frédéric; Pasero, Marco; Mills, Stuart J. (2025) IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (CNMNC) – Newsletter 83 – CORRIGENDUM. Mineralogical Magazine, 89 (1). doi:10.1180/mgm.2025.25
Localities for Metaheimite
Showing 2 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.
Switzerland (TL) | |
| Bosi et al. (2025) +2 other references |
| Roth P.; Zanelli R.; Lüscher B. (2026) |
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Grosses Chalttal, Chalttal area, Mürtschenalp, Glarus Nord, Glarus, Switzerland