Zykaite
| Zykaite | |
|---|---|
 Zykaite found in the Czech Republic | |
| General | |
| Category | Mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | Fe3+4(AsO4)3(SO4)(OH)·15(H2O) |
| Identification | |
| Color | Grey-white, Yellow-white, Green-white |
| Fracture | Irregular, Uneven |
| Tenacity | Waxy |
| Mohs scale hardness | 2 |
| Luster | Dull |
| Streak | Pale yellow |
| Diaphaneity | Translucent |
| Specific gravity | 2.5 |
| Density | 2.50 g/cm3 |
Zykaite or zýkaite is a grey-white mineral consisting of arsenic, hydrogen, iron, sulfur and oxygen with formula: Fe3+4(AsO4)3(SO4)(OH)·15(H2O).[1] This dull mineral is very soft with a Mohs hardness of only 2 and a specific gravity of 2.5. It is translucent and crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system.[2]
It is in the Sanjuanite-Destinezite mineral group, containing group members Destinezite, Sanjuanite, and Sarmientite.
Its common associates include limonite, gypsum, scorodite, quartz and arsenopyrite.[2] It is found in the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Poland and Germany.[3]
Zykaite was first described in 1978 for an occurrence in the Safary mine, Kutná Hora, Bohemia, Czech Republic and named in honour of Vaclav Zyka (born 1926), a Czech geochemist.[2][3]
References
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