Simpsonite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Simpsonite
Formula:
Al4Ta3O13(OH)
Colour:
Yellow, light brown or colourless, gray
Lustre:
Adamantine, Dull
Hardness:
7 - 7½
Specific Gravity:
6.35 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Name:
Named in 1938 by Harry Bowley in honor of Edward Sydney Simpson [March 11, 1875 Woollahara, Western Australia, Australia - August 30, 1939 South Perth, Western Australia, Australia], government mineralogist and chemist of the Geological Survey of Western Australia. The Simpson Desert was also named for him.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
3670
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3670:8
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
6d887209-1f5b-4b98-a80c-82c80c835a5d
IMA Classification of Simpsonite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
First published:
1939
Classification of Simpsonite
4.DC.10
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
C : With medium-sized cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
D : Metal: Oxygen = 1:2 and similar
C : With medium-sized cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra
8.7.5.1
8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
7 : Miscellaneous
8 : MULTIPLE OXIDES CONTAINING NIOBIUM,TANTALUM OR TITANIUM
7 : Miscellaneous
18.1.19
18 : Niobates and Tantalates
1 : Niobates and tantalates containing neither rare earths nor U
18 : Niobates and Tantalates
1 : Niobates and tantalates containing neither rare earths nor U
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 |
---|---|---|
Spn | 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 Simpsonite
Adamantine, Dull
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
Yellow, light brown or colourless, gray
Streak:
white
Hardness:
7 - 7½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Density:
6.35 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Simpsonite
Type:
Uniaxial (-)
RI values:
nω = 2.045 nε = 2.025
Max Birefringence:
δ = 0.020
Image shows birefringence interference colour range (at 30µm thickness)
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
and does not take into account mineral colouration.
Surface Relief:
Very High
Chemistry of Simpsonite
Mindat Formula:
Al4Ta3O13(OH)
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Simpsonite
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Class (H-M):
3 - Pyramidal
Space Group:
P3
Cell Parameters:
a = 7.37 Å, c = 4.51 Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.612
Unit Cell V:
212.15 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
1
Morphology:
Crystals tabular to short prismatic [0001].
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0005281 | Simpsonite | Ercit T S, Cerny P, Hawthorne F C (1992) The crystal chemistry of simpsonite The Canadian Mineralogist 30 663-671 | 1992 | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
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Radiation - Copper Kα
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
1.651 Å | (100) |
2.859 Å | (67) |
3.69 Å | (62) |
2.131 Å | (59) |
1.395 Å | (54) |
2.417 Å | (40) |
2.609 Å | (37) |
Comments:
Alto do Giz pegmatite, Brazil. Data are from Ercit et al. (1992).
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks | >3.0 |
34 : Complex granite pegmatites |
Type Occurrence of Simpsonite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Poorly formed crystals approximating hexagonal prisms but showing only a few faces.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Western Australian Museum, Perth, numbers MDC1006, MDC1007.
The Natural History Museum, London, England, number 1938,122.
The Natural History Museum, London, England, number 1938,122.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Primary mineral in Ta-rich granite pegmatites.
Reference:
Bowley, H. (1939) Simpsonite (sp. nov) from Tabba Tabba, western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia: 25: 89–92.
Synonyms of Simpsonite
Other Language Names for Simpsonite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
15 photos of Simpsonite associated with Tantalite-(Mn) | Mn2+Ta2O6 |
8 photos of Simpsonite associated with Alumotantite | AlTaO4 |
4 photos of Simpsonite associated with Hydroxykenomicrolite | (◻,Na,Sb3+)2Ta2O6(OH) |
4 photos of Simpsonite associated with Rankamaite | (Na,K)3(Ta,Nb,Al)11(O,OH)31 |
3 photos of Simpsonite associated with Cassiterite | SnO2 |
3 photos of Simpsonite associated with Titanowodginite | Mn2+TiTa2O8 |
2 photos of Simpsonite associated with Microlite Group | A2-mTa2X6-wZ-n |
2 photos of Simpsonite associated with Tantalowodginite | (Mn2+0.5◻0.5)TaTa2O8 |
1 photo of Simpsonite associated with Tapiolite-(Fe) | Fe2+Ta2O6 |
1 photo of Simpsonite associated with Lithian Muscovite | KAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
4.DC.05 | Bahianite | Al5Sb3O14(OH)2 |
Fluorescence of Simpsonite
May fluoresce blue-white, SW-UV.
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 Simpsonite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-3670.html
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Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Simpsonite
Localities for Simpsonite
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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Alto do Giz pegmatite, Equador, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil