Murphyite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Murphyite
Formula:
Pb(Te6+O4)
Colour:
colorless to very pale yellow
Lustre:
Adamantine
Hardness:
3½
Specific Gravity:
7.579 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Murphyite is named after Bruce J. Murphy (1952-2023), who provided the specimen for research on Te-bearing minerals. Bruce received his B.S. degree in geological engineering from the University of Arizona and retired after a distinguished career as an engineering geologist and consultant in the waste management industry. He has been a mineral collector for over 50 years, with a special interest in minerals from Arizona and specifically the Tombstone District and the Mammoth-Saint Anthony Mine. Bruce has provided numerous samples for scientific research worldwide.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
55963
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:55963:6
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
852c08b4-4807-4334-94e9-8e2d64661d19
IMA Classification of Murphyite
Approved
Approval year:
2022
Classification of Murphyite
7.AD.
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
A : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, without H2O
D : With only large cations
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
A : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, without H2O
D : With only large cations
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 |
---|---|---|
Mpy | 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 Murphyite
Adamantine
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
colorless to very pale yellow
Streak:
white
Hardness:
3½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
{100}
{100}
Density:
7.579 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Chemistry of Murphyite
Mindat Formula:
Pb(Te6+O4)
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Murphyite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/b
Setting:
P21/a
Cell Parameters:
a = 13.6089(3) Å, b = 5.0175(1) Å, c = 5.5767(2) Å
β = 107.928(1)°
β = 107.928(1)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 2.712 : 1 : 1.111
Unit Cell V:
362.30 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Twinning:
common on {100}, forming so-called fish-tail twins
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
3.655 Å | (100) |
3.604 Å | (43) |
3.513 Å | (69) |
3.235 Å | (34) |
2.768 Å | (51) |
2.718 Å | (57) |
2.515 Å | (48) |
1.857 Å | (55) |
Comments:
From Type Description.
Type Occurrence of Murphyite
General Appearance of Type Material:
bladed or prismatic crystals
up to 0.20 x 0.05 x 0.05 mm in size
up to 0.20 x 0.05 x 0.05 mm in size
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Type material is deposited in the collections of the University of Arizona Alfie Norville Gem and Mineral Museum, 15 N Church Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701, USA, catalogue no. 22715 (holotype), and the RRUFF Project, deposition no. R210011 (cotype)
Geological Setting of Type Material:
a Ag-Au-Pb-Cu-Zn deposit in which the ore, consisting principally of oxidized Ag- and Au-bearing galena,
occurs in faulted and fractured portions of a large dike
hosted by the Bisbee Group limestone
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Murphyite
Common Associates
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
7.AD. | Calciolangbeinite | K2Ca2(SO4)3 |
7.AD. | Bubnovaite | K2Na8Ca(SO4)6 |
7.AD. | Dobrovolskyite | Na4Ca(SO4)3 |
7.AD. | Cuprodobrovolskyite | Na4Cu(SO4)3 |
7.AD. | Kristjánite | KNa2H(SO4)2 |
7.AD.05 | Arcanite | K2SO4 |
7.AD.05 | Mascagnite | (NH4)2SO4 |
7.AD.10 | Mercallite | KHSO4 |
7.AD.15 | Misenite | K8H6(SO4)7 |
7.AD.20 | Letovicite | (NH4)3H(SO4)2 |
7.AD.25 | Glauberite | Na2Ca(SO4)2 |
7.AD.25 | Thénardite | Na2SO4 |
7.AD.30 | Anhydrite | CaSO4 |
7.AD.30 | Metathénardite | Na2SO4 |
7.AD.35 | Anglesite | PbSO4 |
7.AD.35 | Baryte | BaSO4 |
7.AD.35 | Celestine | SrSO4 |
7.AD.35 | Olsacherite | Pb2(Se6+O4)(SO4) |
7.AD.40 | Kalistrontite | K2Sr(SO4)2 |
7.AD.40 | Palmierite | K2Pb(SO4)2 |
7.AD.45 | Ivsite | Na3H(SO4)2 |
7.AD.55 | Markhininite | TlBi(SO4)2 |
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 Murphyite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-55963.html
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Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Murphyite
Localities for Murphyite
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.
USA (TL) | |
| Miyawaki et al. (2022) +1 other reference |
Grand Central Mine, Contention-Grand Central Mine group, Tombstone Mining District, Cochise County, Arizona, USA