As part of the recent re-evaluation of the nomenclature of the hydrotalcite supergroup (Mills et al., 2012), muskoxite was identified as a questionable species which needs further investigation. The range of composition currently ascribed to muskoxite may represent more than one species.

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Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

2818

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:2818:5

GUID
(UUID V4):

e331fe48-e29d-46c9-b648-26f9031a0139

IMA Classification of MuskoxiteHide

IMA status:

Approved, Questionable

IMA Formula:

Mg₇Fe³⁺₄(OH)₂₆ · H₂O (?)

First published:

1969

Type description reference:

Jambor, J. L. (1969) Muskoxite, a new hydrous magnesium-ferric iron oxide from the Muskox Intrusion, Northwest Territories, Canada. American Mineralogist, 54 (5-6) 684-696

Classification of MuskoxiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2024):

4.FL.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
F : Hydroxides (without V or U)
L : Hydroxides with H₂O +- (OH); sheets of edge-sharing octahedra

Dana 8th ed.:

7.11.1.1

7 : MULTIPLE OXIDES
11 : Miscellaneous

Hey's CIM Ref.:

7.20.12

7 : Oxides and Hydroxides
20 : Oxides of Fe

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Symbol	Source	Reference
Mkx	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 MuskoxiteHide

Lustre:

Vitreous

Transparency:

Translucent

Colour:

Dark reddish brown

Streak:

Light orange-brown

Hardness:

3 on Mohs scale

Tenacity:

Brittle

Cleavage:

Perfect
Basal

Density:

3.10 - 3.20 g/cm³ (Measured)

Optical Data of MuskoxiteHide

Type:

Biaxial (-)

Dispersion:

relatively strong

Pleochroism:

Non-pleochroic

Chemistry of MuskoxiteHide

Mindat Formula:

Mg₇Fe₄O₁₃ · 10H₂O

Elements listed:

Fe, H, Mg, O - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of MuskoxiteHide

Crystal System:

Trigonal

Class (H-M):

3m (3 2/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral

Cell Parameters:

a = 3.07 Å, c = 4.6 Å

Ratio:

a:c = 1 : 1.498

Unit Cell V:

37.55 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

Paper thin hexagons, trigonal equant grains.

Comment:

Pseudo cell - actual cell believed to be larger

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 3b: Earth’s earliest hydrosphere	>4.45
13 : Hadean serpentinization
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks	>3.0
37 : Layered igneous intrusions and related PGE minerals

Type Occurrence of MuskoxiteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Muskox Intrusion, Coppermine River area, Nunavut, Canada

General Appearance of Type Material:

Veins in drill core

Reference:

Jambor, J.L. (1969) Muskoxite, a new hydrous magnesium - ferric iron oxide from the Muskox Intrusion, Northwest Territories, Canada. American Mineralogist: 54: 684-696.

Download:

https://rruff.info/rruff_1.0/uploads/AM54_684.pdf

Synonyms of MuskoxiteHide

IMA1967-043

Other Language Names for MuskoxiteHide

German:Muskoxit

Spanish:Muskoxita

Relationship of Muskoxite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:

Hydrotalcite Supergroup

Other Members of this group:

Akopovaite	Al₄Li₂(OH)₁₂(CO₃)(H₂O)₃	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
Amoraite	Ca₁₂Al₆(OH)₃₆(CO₃)₂(SO₃) · 15H₂O	Tric. 1 : P1
Brugnatellite	Mg₆Fe³⁺(CO₃)(OH)₁₃ · 4H₂O	Hex.
Carbocalumite	Ca₄Al₂(OH)₁₂(CO₃) · 6H₂O	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c
Coalingite	Mg₁₀Fe³⁺₂(OH)₂₄[CO₃] · 2H₂O	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m
Cualstibite Group	M₂R(OH)₆[Sb⁵⁺(OH)₆], where M = Zn, Ni, Cu and R = Al or Fe³⁺
Dritsite	Li₂Al₄(OH)₁₂Cl₂ · 3H₂O	Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6₃/mcm
Fougèrite Group
Glaucocerinite Group
Hydrocalumite Group
Hydrotalcite Group	M₆R³⁺₂(OH)₁₆Z · 4H₂O, where M=Mg, Fe, Ni, R³⁺ = Al, Cr, Co or Fe, and Z=CO₃, Cl
Karchevskyite	Mg₁₈Al₉(OH)₅₄Sr₂(CO₃)₉(H₂O)₆ (H₃O)₅	Trig.
Mampsisite	Ca₄Al₂(CO₃)(OH)₁₂ · 5H₂O	Tric.
Poellmannite	Ca₆Al₃(OH)₁₈[Na(H₂O)₆](SO₄)₂ · 6H₂O	Trig. 3 : R3
Quintinite Group
UM1987-05-OH:AlCMg	Mg₄Al₂(OH)₁₂(CO₃,SO₄) · 3H₂O
Wermlandite Group	M₇R³⁺₂(OH)₁₈[Ca(H₂O)₆][SO₄]₂ · 6H₂O, where = Mg, Fe, Zn and R= Al or Fe
Woodwardite Group	May be considered a subgroup of the Hydrotalcite Group.

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

4.FL.	Trébeurdenite	Fe²⁺₂Fe³⁺₄O₂(OH)₁₀CO₃ · 3H₂O	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m
4.FL.	Mariakrite	[Ca₄Al₂(OH)₁₂(H₂O)₄][Fe₂S₄]	Tric. 1 : P1
4.FL.05	Woodallite	Mg₆Cr₂(OH)₁₆Cl₂ · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m
4.FL.05	Iowaite	Mg₆Fe³⁺₂(OH)₁₆Cl₂ · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m
4.FL.05	Jamborite	Ni²⁺_1-xCo³⁺_x(OH)_2-x(SO₄)_x · nH₂O	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m
4.FL.05	Meixnerite	Mg₆Al₂(OH)₁₆(OH)₂ · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m
4.FL.05	Fougèrite	Fe²⁺₄Fe³⁺₂(OH)₁₂[CO₃] · 3H₂O	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3m
4.FL.05	Mössbauerite	Fe³⁺₆O₄(OH)₈[CO₃] · 3H₂O	Trig. 3
4.FL.05	Dritsite	Li₂Al₄(OH)₁₂Cl₂ · 3H₂O	Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P6₃/mcm
4.FL.10	Hydrocalumite	Ca₄Al₂(OH)₁₂(Cl,CO₃,OH)₂ · 4H₂O	Mon. 2 : P2₁
4.FL.15	Kuzelite	Ca₄Al₂(OH)₁₂[SO₄] · 6H₂O	Trig.
4.FL.20	Aurorite	Mn²⁺Mn⁴⁺₃O₇ · 3H₂O	Trig. 3 : R3
4.FL.20	Chalcophanite	ZnMn⁴⁺₃O₇ · 3H₂O	Trig. 3 : R3
4.FL.20	Ernienickelite	NiMn₃O₇ · 3H₂O	Trig. 3 : R3
4.FL.20	Jianshuiite	(Mg,Mn,Ca)Mn₃O₇ · 3H₂O	Trig. 3 : R3
4.FL.25	Woodruffite	Zn²⁺_x/2(Mn⁴⁺_1-xMn³⁺_x)O₂ · yH2O	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.30	Asbolane	(Ni,Co)_2-xMn⁴⁺(O,OH)₄ · nH₂O	Hex.
4.FL.30 va	Lampadite	Cu, Mn, O, H
4.FL.35	Buserite	Na₄Mn₁₄O₂₇ · 21H₂O
4.FL.40	Ranciéite	(Ca,Mn²⁺)_0.2(Mn⁴⁺,Mn³⁺)O₂ · 0.6H₂O	Trig. 3 : P3
4.FL.40	Takanelite	(Mn,Ca)Mn₄O₉ · H₂O	Hex.
4.FL.45	Birnessite	(Na,Ca)_0.5(Mn⁴⁺,Mn³⁺)₂O₄ · 1.5H₂O	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.55	Cianciulliite	Mn(Mg,Mn)₂Zn₂(OH)₁₀ · 2-4H₂O	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.60	Jensenite	Cu₃[TeO₆] · 2H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
4.FL.65	Leisingite	Cu₂MgTe⁶⁺O₆ · 6H₂O	Trig. 3 : P3
4.FL.70	Akdalaite	Al₁₀O₁₄(OH)₂	Hex.
4.FL.75	Cafetite	CaTi₂O₅ · H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
4.FL.80	Mourite	UMo₅O₁₂(OH)₁₀	Mon.
4.FL.85	Deloryite	Cu₄(UO₂)(MoO₄)₂(OH)₆	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.90	Lagalyite	Ca_2xMn_1-xO₂ · 1.5-2H₂O	Mon.
4.FL.95	Tunnerite (of Cornu)
4.FL.100	Carbocalumite	Ca₄Al₂(OH)₁₂(CO₃) · 6H₂O	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c
4.FL.100	Mampsisite	Ca₄Al₂(CO₃)(OH)₁₂ · 5H₂O	Tric.

Other InformationHide

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 MuskoxiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-2818.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

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References for MuskoxiteHide

Reference List:

Jambor, J. L. (1969) Muskoxite, a new hydrous magnesium-ferric iron oxide from the Muskox Intrusion, Northwest Territories, Canada. American Mineralogist, 54 (5-6) 684-696

Mills, S. J., Christy, A. G., Génin, J.-M. R., Kameda, T., Colombo, F. (2012) Nomenclature of the hydrotalcite supergroup: natural layered double hydroxides. Mineralogical Magazine, 76 (5) 1289-1336 doi:10.1180/minmag.2012.076.5.10

(2023) Muskoxite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for MuskoxiteHide

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListHide

- 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.

Canada (TL)

Nunavut

Coppermine River area

ⓘ Muskox Intrusion (TL)

Jambor (1969)

Muskoxite