User:Aaron.Giles14/ReineriteDraft

Reinerite is a rare arsenite (arsenate(III)) mineral.

Reinerite
General
Category	arsenite
Formula (repeating unit)	Reinerite Zn3(AsO3)24
Crystal system	Orthorhombic Dipyramidal 2/m 2/m 2/m
Space group	Orthorhombic 2/m 2/m 2/m
Unit cell	a = 6.092 , b= 14.407 , c= 7.811, Z=4, V = 685.55, ratio = a:b:c = 0.423 : 1 : 0.542
Identification
Color	Sky Blue, Yellow Green
Cleavage	{110}, {011} and {111}
Mohs scale hardness	5 - 5.5
Luster	Nonmetalic Glassy/ Vitreous
Density	4.27
Optical properties	Biaxial (-)
Refractive index	nα = 1.740 nβ = 1.790 nγ = 1.820
Birefringence	Maxium δ = 0.080
References

Composition

Reinerite has the chemical formula Zn₃(AsO₃)₂. These elements are zinc, arsenic and oxygen; the composition breakdown of these elements is: 44.38% zinc, 33.90% arsenic, and 21.72% oxygen .

Physical Properties

Reinerite is most commonly found as a sky blue colored mineral, however, it may also be a light yellowish green color. Reinerite has a relative hardness of 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs Scale which is equivilant to that of a knife blade and or shard of glass. It has a density of 4.27 gm/cm³, and it exhibits a nonmetalic luster that may be described as glassy or vitreous.

Environment

Reinerite develops in dolostone-hosted locations. It is known especially from Namibia, Africa, within the mines of Tsumeb. At the Tsumeb location, Reinerite develops within the polymetallic lead-zinc-copper deposit, 800 m below the surface, in the second oxidation zone.

Crystallography

Reinerite has the crystalline structure Orthorhombic

History

Reinerite was named for Senior Chemist Willy Reiner (1895-1965) at Tsumeb Corporation, who analyzed this mineral.