Thermessaite-(NH4)
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Thermessaite-(NH4)
Formula:
(NH4)2AlF3(SO4)
NH4 may be replaced by minor K.
Colour:
Colourless to white
Lustre:
Vitreous
Specific Gravity:
2.815 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
For being the NH4-analogue of thermessaite.
Type Locality:
Isostructural with:
The ammonium analogue of thermessaite.
Also originally found as an anthropogenic compound ('Unnamed (NH4-analogue of Thermessaite)') on a burning coal dump at the Anna mine, Aachen (U. Kolitsch, 2010, unpubl. data on material collected by Frank de Wit; subsequently published in Witzke et al., 2015).
This mineral contains linear infinite chains of repeating (AlF3) units, classifying it as a so-called ino-fluoro-aluminate.
Crystal structure details:
* corner-sharing AlF4O2 octahedra comprising [001] octahedral chains (by sharing two trans fluoride atoms;
* NH4+ ions placed within layers || (100), alternating regularly with (100) layers;
* the latter layers comprise ribbons of the AlF4O2 octahedra and SO4 groups;
* coordination sphere of the ammonium ions bears five oxygen atoms and by four fluorine atoms
Also originally found as an anthropogenic compound ('Unnamed (NH4-analogue of Thermessaite)') on a burning coal dump at the Anna mine, Aachen (U. Kolitsch, 2010, unpubl. data on material collected by Frank de Wit; subsequently published in Witzke et al., 2015).
This mineral contains linear infinite chains of repeating (AlF3) units, classifying it as a so-called ino-fluoro-aluminate.
Crystal structure details:
* corner-sharing AlF4O2 octahedra comprising [001] octahedral chains (by sharing two trans fluoride atoms;
* NH4+ ions placed within layers || (100), alternating regularly with (100) layers;
* the latter layers comprise ribbons of the AlF4O2 octahedra and SO4 groups;
* coordination sphere of the ammonium ions bears five oxygen atoms and by four fluorine atoms
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
39963
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:39963:6
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
9838dbbb-0052-46bb-9663-a038faac839a
IMA Classification of Thermessaite-(NH4)
Classification of Thermessaite-(NH4)
3.CG.25
3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
G : Aluminofluorides with CO3, SO4, PO4
3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
G : Aluminofluorides with CO3, SO4, PO4
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 |
---|---|---|
Tms-NH4 | 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 Thermessaite-(NH4)
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colourless to white
Streak:
White
Density:
2.815 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Chemistry of Thermessaite-(NH4)
Mindat Formula:
(NH4)2AlF3(SO4)
NH4 may be replaced by minor K.
NH4 may be replaced by minor K.
Crystallography of Thermessaite-(NH4)
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
Pbcn
Cell Parameters:
a = 11.3005(3) Å, b = 8.6125(3) Å, c = 6.8501(2) Å
Ratio:
a:b:c = 1.312 : 1 : 0.795
Unit Cell V:
666.69 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Acicular.
Comment:
Cell of anthropogenic material: a = 11.286(2), 8.607(2), 6.843(1) A.
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
6.850 Å | (74) |
5.650 Å | (100) |
4.844 Å | (89) |
3.082 Å | (47) |
3.063 Å | (56) |
2.782 Å | (26) |
2.681 Å | (28) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
45a : [Sulfates, arsenates, selenates, antimonates] | |
45b : [Other oxidized fumarolic minerals] | |
Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
54 : Coal and other mine fire minerals (see also #51 and #56) |
Type Occurrence of Thermessaite-(NH4)
General Appearance of Type Material:
Micrometer-sized, sharp, prismatic crystals, forming aggregates.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Type material is deposited in the collections of the C.L. Garavelli Museum in the Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geoambientali, Università degli Studi di Bari ‘‘Aldo Moro’’, Italy, sample number 15/nm-V28.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
On the surface of pyroclastic breccia.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Thermessaite-(NH4)
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
3.CG.3.CG. | Chukhrovite-(Ca) | Ca4.5Al2(SO4)F13 · 12H2O |
3.CG.05 | Stenonite | (Sr,Ba,Na)2Al(CO3)F5 |
3.CG.10 | Chukhrovite-(Ce) | Ca3(Ce,Y)(AlF6)2(SO4)F · 10H2O |
3.CG.10 | Chukhrovite-(Y) | Ca3(Y,Ce)(AlF6)2(SO4)F · 10H2O |
3.CG.10 | Meniaylovite | Ca4[(SO4)(SiF6)(AlF6)]F · 12H2O |
3.CG.10 | Chukhrovite-(Nd) | Ca3(Nd,Y)Al2(SO4)F13 · 12H2O |
3.CG.15 | Creedite | Ca3SO4Al2F8(OH)2 · 2H2O |
3.CG.20 | Bøggildite | Na2Sr2Al2PO4F9 |
3.CG.25 | Thermessaite | K2AlF3(SO4) |
3.CG.30 | Kruijenite | Ca4Al4(SO4)F2(OH)16 · 2H2O |
Fluorescence of Thermessaite-(NH4)
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 Thermessaite-(NH4)
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-39963.html
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References for Thermessaite-(NH4)
Reference List:
Williams, P. A., Hatert, F., Pasero, M., Mills, S. J. (2012) New minerals and nomenclature modifications approved in 2012. CNMNC Newsletter No 12. Mineralogical Magazine, 76 (1) 151-155 doi:10.1180/minmag.2012.076.1.151
Witzke, T., de Wit, F., Kolitsch, U., Blaß, G. (2015) Mineralogy of the Burning Anna I Coal Mine Dump, Alsdorf, Germany. In Coal and Peat Fires: A Global Perspective- Case Studies – Coal Fires Vol. 3. Elsevier. p.203-240. doi:10.1016/C2010-0-68844-4
Garavelli, A., Pinto, D., Mitolo, D., Kolitsch, U (2017) Thermessaite-(NH4): another piece of the puzzle of the evolution of sublimate deposition at “La Fossa” crater fumaroles, in Abstract book. Joint SIMP-SGI-AIV-SoGeI 2017 Conference "Geosciences: a tool in a changing world", Società Geologica Italiana. Pisa, Italy. 122 doi:10.3301/ABSGI/2017.01
Localities for Thermessaite-(NH4)
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).
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.
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
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Anna mine, Alsdorf, Aachen, Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany