Pyracmonite
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About Pyracmonite
Formula:
(NH4)3Fe(SO4)3
Colour:
colorless to white
Lustre:
Vitreous
Specific Gravity:
2.22
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Name:
The name is after the Greek words πνρ = “fire” and ακμων = “anvil”; it recalls the mythical Hephaistos’s workshop, which allegedly was located on the Island of Vulcano
Closely related to aluminopyracmonite (chemically, the Al analogue). Also chemically related to sabieite and ferroefremovite. The ammonium analogue of 'Unnamed (Na-Fe Sulphate)' (both trigonal but not isostructural).
Well-known also as a synthetic compound.
Well-known also as a synthetic compound.
Classification of Pyracmonite
Approved
Approval Year:
2008
7.AC.08
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
A : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, without H2O
C : With medium-sized and large cations
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
A : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, without H2O
C : With medium-sized and large cations
28.4.6.1
28 : ANHYDROUS ACID AND NORMAL SULFATES
4 : Miscellaneous
28 : ANHYDROUS ACID AND NORMAL SULFATES
4 : Miscellaneous
Physical Properties of Pyracmonite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
colorless to white
Streak:
White
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
None observed
Density:
2.22(1) g/cm3 (Measured) 2.228 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Pyracmonite
Type:
Uniaxial
Comments:
Average RI = 1.562
Chemical Properties of Pyracmonite
Crystallography of Pyracmonite
Crystal System:
Trigonal
Class (H-M):
3m - Ditrigonal Pyramidal
Space Group:
R3c
Cell Parameters:
a = 15.2171(14) Å, c = 8.9323(8) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 0.587
Unit Cell V:
1,791.26 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
6
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
7.596 Å | (100) |
4.384 Å | (5) |
4.358 Å | (23) |
4.247 Å | (5) |
3.371 Å | (26) |
3.320 Å | (30) |
2.863 Å | (8) |
2.829 Å | (14) |
Type Occurrence of Pyracmonite
General Appearance of Type Material:
aggregates of colorless to white elongate hexagonal prismatic crystals up to 0.2 mm in length
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Reference Collection of the Dipartimento di Chimica Strutturale e Stereochimica Inorganica, Università degli Studi di Milano, specimen number 2008–04.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
medium-temperature (~250°C) intracrater fumarole developed on a pyroclastic breccia
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Pyracmonite
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
1 photo of Pyracmonite associated with Ammonioalunite | (NH4)Al3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
1 photo of Pyracmonite associated with Alunite | KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
Related Minerals - Nickel-Strunz Grouping
7.AC. | Aluminopyracmonite | (NH4)3Al(SO4)3 | Trig. 3 : R3 |
7.AC. | Acmonidesite | (NH4,K,Pb)8NaFe2+4(SO4)5Cl8 | Orth. 2 2 2 : C2 2 21 |
7.AC.05 | Vanthoffite | Na6Mg(SO4)4 | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
7.AC.10 | Efremovite | (NH4)2Mg2(SO4)3 | Iso. |
7.AC.10 | Langbeinite | K2Mg2(SO4)3 | Iso. 2 3 : P21 3 |
7.AC.10 | Manganolangbeinite | K2Mn2(SO4)3 | Iso. 2 3 : P21 3 |
7.AC.15 | Yavapaiite | KFe(SO4)2 | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
7.AC.15 | Eldfellite | NaFe3+(SO4)2 | Mon. 2/m : B2/m |
7.AC.20 | Godovikovite | (NH4)Al(SO4)2 | Trig. 3 2 : P3 2 1 |
7.AC.20 | Sabieite | (NH4)Fe3+(SO4)2 | Trig. 3 2 : P3 2 1 |
7.AC.25 | Thénardite | Na2SO4 | Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Fddd |
7.AC.30 | Metathénardite | Na2SO4 | Hex. 6/mmm (6/m 2/m 2/m) : P63/mmc |
7.AC.35 | Aphthitalite | (K,Na)3Na(SO4)2 | Trig. |
Related Minerals - Dana Grouping (8th Ed.)
28.4.6.2 | Alumoklyuchevskite | K3Cu3(Al,Fe3+)(SO4)4O2 | Tric. 1 : P1 |
Fluorescence of Pyracmonite
none
Other Information
Notes:
The mineral is not hygroscopic and is stable in air
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
References for Pyracmonite
Reference List:
Sort by Year (asc) | by Year (desc) | by Author (A-Z) | by Author (Z-A)
Ciriotti, M.E., Fascio, L. & Pasero, M. (2009): Italian Type Minerals. Edizioni Plus, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy, 357 pp.
DeMartin, F., Gramaccioli, C. M., and Campostrini, I. (2010): Pyracmonite (NH4)3Fe(SO4)3 from La Fossa crater, Vulcano, Aeolian islands, Italy. Canadian Mineralogist 48:307-313
Internet Links for Pyracmonite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-38828.html
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Localities for Pyracmonite
Locality List




All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Germany | |
| Blaß, G. and Strehler, H. (1993): Mineralbildungen in einer durch Selbstentzündung brennenden Bergehalde des Aachener Steinkohlenreviers. Mineralien-Welt 4 (4), 35-42. (in German); Witzke, T., de Wit, F., Kolitsch, U. and Blaß, G. (2015): Mineralogy of the Burning Anna I Coal Mine Dump, Alsdorf, Germany. Chapter 7, pp. 203-240, in: Stracher, G. B., Prakash, A. and Sokol, E. V.: Coal and Peat Fires: A Global Perspective, Volume 3: Case Studies - Coal Fires, Elsevier, 786 pp. |
| Witzke, T. (1990): Sekundärminerale und Haldenbrandminerale des Döhlener Beckens.- Diplomarbeit, Bergakademie Freiberg, Sektion Mineralogie/Geochemie [as unnamed mineral]; Witzke, T. (2012): Neubestimmungen von Fundstellen in Sachsen: Pyracmonit, Philipsbornit, Mottramit, Mansfieldit, Hydrocerussit und weitere. Aufschluss, 63, 295-300. |
Hungary | |
| Collector:G.Koller,Identified:Szakáll-Fehér,2012 |
Italy (TL) | |
| Canadian Mineralogist 48,307-313(2010) |
Poland | |
| Ł. Kruszewski PXRD data |
| Kruszewski, Ł., Fabiańska, M.J., Segit, T., Kusy, D., Motyliński, R., Ciesielczuk, J., Deput, E., (2019): Carbon-nitrogen compounds, alcohols, mercaptans, monoterpenes, acetates, aldehydes, ketones, SF6, PH3, and other fire gases in coal-mining waste heaps of Upper Silesian Coal Basin (Poland) – a re-investigation by means of in situ FTIR external database approach. Science of The Total Environment (in press) |
USA | |
| Dr Pete Richards |
Carola Mine, Freital, Dresden, Saxony, Germany