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Walentaite

A valid IMA mineral species

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Photos of Walentaite (17)

Walentaite Gallery Search Photos of Walentaite

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Walentaite

White Elephant Mine, Cicero Peak, Pringle, Custer Mining District, Custer County, South Dakota, USA

Walentaite

White Elephant Mine, Cicero Peak, Pringle, Custer Mining District, Custer County, South Dakota, USA

Walentaite

White Elephant Mine, Cicero Peak, Pringle, Custer Mining District, Custer County, South Dakota, USA

Walentaite

White Elephant Mine, Cicero Peak, Pringle, Custer Mining District, Custer County, South Dakota, USA

Walentaite

White Elephant Mine, Cicero Peak, Pringle, Custer Mining District, Custer County, South Dakota, USA

Walentaite

White Elephant Mine, Cicero Peak, Pringle, Custer Mining District, Custer County, South Dakota, USA

Walentaite

White Elephant Mine, Cicero Peak, Pringle, Custer Mining District, Custer County, South Dakota, USA

Walentaite

White Elephant Mine, Cicero Peak, Pringle, Custer Mining District, Custer County, South Dakota, USA

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About WalentaiteHide

Prof. Dr. Kurt Walenta

Formula:

Fe³⁺₃(P_0.84As_0.16O₄)₂(O,OH)₆As³⁺_2.56Ca_0.42Na_0.28Mn²⁺_0.35Fe²⁺_0.30O_6.1(OH)_0.9(H₂O)_0.9

possibly simplified as (Ca,Mn,Fe,Na)_1.35Fe³⁺₃[(P,As)O₄]₂As³⁺(O,OH)₆; formerly given as H(Ca,Mn²⁺,Fe²⁺)Fe³⁺₃(AsO₄,PO₄)₄^.7H₂O

Colour:

Bright yellow

Lustre:

Vitreous

Hardness:

Specific Gravity:

2.72

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Member of:

Walentaite Subgroup > Walentaite Group

Name:

Named in honor of Dr. Kurt Walenta (1 December 1927 Prague, Czech Republic - 19 November 2021), Professor of Mineralogy, University of Stuttgart (Germany), who made significant contributions to the mineralogy of arsenates and phosphates, especially from the Schwarzwald (Black Forest), Germany.

Type Locality:

ⓘ White Elephant Mine, Cicero Peak, Pringle, Custer Mining District, Custer County, South Dakota, USA

Unique combination of elements. One of 3 known minerals with arsenate and phosphate anions occupying separate structural positions (compare machatschkiite and epifanovite).

Compare natrowalentaite.

Walentaite has been redefined and shown to have 89% of its As as As(III) and not As(V). Ca, Na, Mn, and Fe(II) atoms are located in the interlayer space.
Its structure has trimeric As³⁺₃O₆ units.

Structurally related to alcantarillaite.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

4235

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:4235:8

GUID
(UUID V4):

448062c7-d1ad-4133-bb91-0fad66f1fd81

IMA Classification of WalentaiteHide

IMA status:

Approved

IMA status notes:

Redefined by the IMA

IMA Formula:

[Mn(H₂O)₆][◻As³⁺₃Fe³⁺₃(PO₄)₂O₇]

Approval year:

1983

First published:

1984

Approval history:

Redefined IMA 2020 s.p.: Grey et al (2019).

Type description reference:

Dunn, P. J., Peacor, D. R., Roberts, W. L., Campbell, T. J., Ramik, R. A. (1984) Walentaite, a new calcium iron arsenate phosphate from the White Elephant mine, Pringle, South Dakota. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie - Monatshefte, 1984. 169-174

Classification of WalentaiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2024):

8.CH.05

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H₂O
H : With large and medium-sized cations, RO₄:H₂O < 1:1

Dana 8th ed.:

40.5.10.1

40 : HYDRATED NORMAL PHOSPHATES,ARSENATES AND VANADATES
5 : AXO₄·xH₂O

Hey's CIM Ref.:

20.9.17

20 : Arsenates (also arsenates with phosphate, but without other anions)
9 : Arsenates 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
Wlt	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 WalentaiteHide

Lustre:

Vitreous

Transparency:

Translucent

Colour:

Bright yellow

Streak:

Pale yellow

Hardness:

3 on Mohs scale

Tenacity:

Brittle

Cleavage:

Perfect
On {010}

Density:

2.72 g/cm³ (Measured) 2.72 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of WalentaiteHide

Type:

Biaxial (+)

Dispersion:

r > v moderate (type description says dispersion not discernible).

Optical Extinction:

Z = c, Y = a.

Pleochroism:

Weak

Comments:

Z = medium yellow-green, Y = pale yellow green.

Comments:

Absorption: Z < Y.
2V could not be measured.

Chemistry of WalentaiteHide

Mindat Formula:

Fe³⁺₃(P_0.84As_0.16O₄)₂(O,OH)₆As³⁺_2.56Ca_0.42Na_0.28Mn²⁺_0.35Fe²⁺_0.30O_6.1(OH)_0.9(H₂O)_0.9

possibly simplified as (Ca,Mn,Fe,Na)_1.35Fe³⁺₃[(P,As)O₄]₂As³⁺(O,OH)₆; formerly given as H(Ca,Mn²⁺,Fe²⁺)Fe³⁺₃(AsO₄,PO₄)₄^.7H₂O

Elements listed:

As, Ca, Fe, H, Mn, Na, O, P - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of WalentaiteHide

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Class (H-M):

mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) - Dipyramidal

Space Group:

Imma

Setting:

Imma

Cell Parameters:

a = 26.188(5) Å, b = 7.360(2) Å, c = 10.367(2) Å

Ratio:

a:b:c = 3.558 : 1 : 1.409

Unit Cell V:

1,998.17 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

Type material: Bladed crystals approximately 20 x 60 x 1-2 µm in size that are elongate on [001] and flattened perpendicular to b so that {010} is the dominant form. Aggregates forming rosettes.

Crystal StructureHide

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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)
0020839	Walentaite	Grey I E, Mumme W G, Hochleitner R (2019) Trimeric As3+3O6 clusters in walentaite: crystal structure and revised formula European Journal of Mineralogy 31 111-116		2019	White Elephant mine, Pringle, South Dakota, USA	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Walentaite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Grey I E'
'Mumme W G'
'Hochleitner R'
_journal_name_full 'European Journal of Mineralogy'
_journal_volume 31 
_journal_year 2019
_journal_page_first 111
_journal_page_last 116
_publ_section_title
;
 Trimeric As3+3O6 clusters in walentaite: crystal structure and revised formula
;
_database_code_amcsd 0020839
_chemical_compound_source 'White Elephant mine, Pringle, South Dakota, USA'
_chemical_formula_sum 'Fe3 P1.684 As2.86 Mn.652 Ca.708 O19.928'
_cell_length_a 26.188
_cell_length_b 7.3600
_cell_length_c 10.367
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 1998.174
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      2.716
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'I m m a'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  '1/2+x,1/2+y,1/2+z'
  'x,1/2-y,z'
  '1/2+x,-y,1/2+z'
  '-x,1/2+y,-z'
  '1/2-x,+y,1/2-z'
  '-x,y,z'
  '1/2-x,1/2+y,1/2+z'
  'x,-y,-z'
  '1/2+x,1/2-y,1/2-z'
  'x,1/2+y,-z'
  '1/2+x,+y,1/2-z'
  '-x,1/2-y,z'
  '1/2-x,-y,1/2+z'
  '-x,-y,-z'
  '1/2-x,1/2-y,1/2-z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_occupancy
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
Fe1   0.25000   0.25000   0.25000   1.00000   0.02400
Fe2   0.32440   0.50000   0.50000   1.00000   0.02400
P1   0.37420   0.25000   0.28090   0.84200   0.02800
As1   0.37420   0.25000   0.28090   0.15800   0.02800
As2   0.21210   0.02740   0.51060   0.39600   0.03000
As3   0.26980   0.30250   0.69250   0.24000   0.02600
Mn1   0.50000   0.75000   0.29470   0.65200   0.05900
Ca1   0.50000   0.75000   0.16810   0.25600   0.03300
Ca2   0.18510   0.00000   0.50000   0.22600   0.04500
O1   0.42060   0.25000   0.19120   1.00000   0.04300
O2   0.32370   0.25000   0.19930   1.00000   0.04200
O3   0.37480   0.42380   0.37030   1.00000   0.03300
O4A   0.26560   0.53800   0.62800   0.36000   0.02500
O4B   0.25950   0.57100   0.60800   0.64000   0.02500
O5   0.32070   0.25000   0.57710   1.00000   0.02800
O6   0.21110   0.25000   0.59380   0.52000   0.03500
OW1A   0.57160   0.75000   0.31930   0.44000   0.04000
OW1B   0.58580   0.75000   0.25770   0.40000   0.04500
OW2A   0.50000   0.45600   0.27510   0.56000   0.04900
OW2B   0.50000   0.51600   0.18800   0.33400   0.07200
OW3   0.52200   0.75000   0.48300   0.09000   0.09900
OW4   0.00000   0.25000   0.58700   0.24000   0.06200
OW5   0.43870   0.55000   0.02800   0.25000   0.08400
loop_
_atom_site_aniso_label
_atom_site_aniso_U_11
_atom_site_aniso_U_22
_atom_site_aniso_U_33
_atom_site_aniso_U_12
_atom_site_aniso_U_13
_atom_site_aniso_U_23
Fe1 0.03300 0.02100 0.01800 0.00000 -0.00100 0.00000
Fe2 0.03200 0.01800 0.02400 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
P1 0.03000 0.02600 0.02700 0.00000 0.00400 0.00000
As2 0.03400 0.02900 0.02700 0.00300 0.00100 -0.00100
As3 0.03500 0.01900 0.02500 0.00200 0.00400 0.00200
Mn1 0.07600 0.03500 0.06800 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
O1 0.04200 0.04900 0.03800 0.00000 0.00800 0.00000
O2 0.03300 0.06200 0.03100 0.00000 0.00400 0.00000
O3 0.03700 0.02300 0.03900 -0.00100 0.00800 0.00200
O4A 0.02900 0.02200 0.02400 0.00300 -0.00100 -0.00300
O4B 0.02900 0.02200 0.02400 0.00300 -0.00100 -0.00300
O5 0.03900 0.01900 0.02600 0.00000 0.00100 0.00000
O6 0.03500 0.02200 0.05000 0.00000 0.01200 0.00000

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
12.9 Å	(100)
3.00 Å	(50)
4.43 Å	(30)
6.56 Å	(20)
4.82 Å	(20)
2.931 Å	(20)
2.776 Å	(20)

Comments:

White Elephant mine, South Dakota, USA. Data from the type description.

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event	<2.4
47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals]
47c : [Carbonates, phosphates, borates, nitrates]
47d : [Arsenates, antimonates, selenates, bismuthinates]

Type Occurrence of WalentaiteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ White Elephant Mine, Cicero Peak, Pringle, Custer Mining District, Custer County, South Dakota, USA

General Appearance of Type Material:

Rosette-like aggregates of thin, bladed crystals approximately 20 x 60 x 1-2 µm in size.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1984,690.
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 149782, 149783.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Complex zoned pegmatite.

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Tridymite	Spessartine	Rockbridgeite	Quartz	Muscovite
Löllingite

Reference:

Dunn, P.J., D.R. Peacor, W.L. Roberts, T.J. Campbell, and R.A. Ramik (1984): Walentaite, a new calcium iron arsenate phosphate from the White Elephant mine, Pringle, South Dakota. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Monatshefte: 1984: 169-174.

Synonyms of WalentaiteHide

IMA1983-047

Other Language Names for WalentaiteHide

German:Walentait

Spanish:Walentaita

Relationship of Walentaite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:

Walentaite Subgroup > Walentaite Group

Other Members of this group:

Natrowalentaite

[Fe³⁺_0.5Na_0.5(H₂O)₆][NaAs³⁺₂(Fe³⁺_2.33W⁶⁺_0.67)(PO₄)₂O₇]

Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Imma

Common AssociatesHide

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:

1 photo of Walentaite associated with Löllingite

FeAs₂

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

8.CH.05	Natrowalentaite	[Fe³⁺_0.5Na_0.5(H₂O)₆][NaAs³⁺₂(Fe³⁺_2.33W⁶⁺_0.67)(PO₄)₂O₇]	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Imma
8.CH.05	Halilsarpite	[Mg(H₂O)₆][CaAs³⁺₂(Fe³⁺_2.67Mo⁶⁺_0.33)(AsO₄)₂O₇]	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Imma
8.CH.10	Anapaite	Ca₂Fe²⁺(PO₄)₂ · 4H₂O	Tric. 1 : P1
8.CH.15	Picropharmacolite	Ca₄Mg(AsO₄)₂(HAsO₄)₂ · 11H₂O	Tric. 1 : P1
8.CH.20	Dittmarite	(NH₄)Mg(PO₄) · H₂O	Orth. mm2 : Pmn2₁
8.CH.20	Niahite	(NH₄)(Mn²⁺,Mg)(PO₄) · H₂O	Orth. mm2 : Pmn2₁
8.CH.25	Francoanellite	K₃Al₅(PO₃OH)₆(PO₄)₂ · 12H₂O	Trig.
8.CH.25	Taranakite	(K,NH₄)Al₃(PO₄)₃(OH) · 9H₂O	Trig. 3m (3 2/m) : R3c
8.CH.30	Schertelite	(NH₄)₂MgH₂(PO₄)₂ · 4H₂O	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m) : Pbca
8.CH.35	Hannayite	(NH₄)₂Mg₃H₄(PO₄)₄ · 8H₂O	Tric. 1 : P1
8.CH.40	Struvite	(NH₄)Mg(PO₄) · 6H₂O	Orth. mm2 : Pmn2₁
8.CH.40	Struvite-(K)	KMg(PO₄) · 6H₂O	Orth. mm2 : Pmn2₁
8.CH.40	Hazenite	KNaMg₂(PO₄)₂ · 14H₂O	Orth. mmm (2/m 2/m 2/m)
8.CH.45	Rimkorolgite	(Mg,Mn)₅(Ba,Sr,Ca)(PO₄)₄ · 8H₂O	Orth.
8.CH.50	Bakhchisaraitsevite	Na₂Mg₅(PO₄)₄ · 7H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
8.CH.55	Fahleite	CaZn₅Fe³⁺₂(AsO₄)₆ · 14H₂O	Orth.
8.CH.55	Smolyaninovite	Co₃Fe³⁺₂(AsO₄)₄ · 11H₂O	Orth.
8.CH.60	Barahonaite-(Al)	(Ca,Cu,Na,Fe³⁺,Al)₁₂Al₂(AsO₄)₈(OH,Cl)_x · nH₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2/b
8.CH.60	Barahonaite-(Fe)	(Ca,Cu,Na,Fe³⁺,Al)₁₂Fe³⁺₂(AsO₄)₈(OH,Cl)_x · nH₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2/b
8.CH.70	Epifanovite	NaCaCu₅(PO₄)₄[AsO₂(OH)₂] · 7H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
8.CH.75	Esdanaite-(Ce)	NaMnCe(PO₄)₂ · 4H₂O	Orth. 2 2 2 : P2₁ 2₁ 2₁

Fluorescence of WalentaiteHide

In UV light:

Not fluorescent.

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 WalentaiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-4235.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

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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 WalentaiteHide

Reference List:

Dunn, P.J., Cabri, L.J., Ferraiolo, J.A., Grice, J.D., Jambor, J.L., Mueller, W., Shigley, J.E., Puziewicz, J., Vanko, D.A. (1984) New mineral names. American Mineralogist: 69: 1190-1196 (1194-1194).

Nickel, E.H. (1987): Tungsten-bearing walentaite from Griffins Find gold deposit, Western Australia. Australian Mineralogist: 2: 9-14.

Grey, I.E., Mumme, W.G., Hochleitner, R. (2019): Trimeric As³⁺₃O₆ clusters in walentaite: Crystal structure and revised formula. European Journal of Mineralogy: 31: 111-116.

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

Localities for WalentaiteHide

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.


Australia
Western Australia Lake Grace Shire ⓘ Griffins Find Gold Mine	Nickel (1987)

Morocco
Drâa-Tafilalet Region Zagora Province Agdz Cercle Tansifte Caïdat Oumlil ⓘ Oumlil Mine (incl. Oumlil East Mine)	Favreau et al. (2006)

Spain
Castile and Leon Salamanca Navasfrías ⓘ Salmantina Mine	www.foro-minerales.com (n.d.)

USA
Maine Oxford County Paris ⓘ Mount Marie Quarries
Nevada Mineral County Fitting Mining District Luning Rhyolite Pass ⓘ Unnamed prospect [2]	Marco Ciriotti collection (analysed by SEM-EDS, 2005)
South Dakota Custer County Custer Mining District Pringle Cicero Peak ⓘ White Elephant Mine (TL)	Dunn et al. (1984)

Walentaite

About WalentaiteHide

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of WalentaiteHide

Classification of WalentaiteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of WalentaiteHide

Optical Data of WalentaiteHide

Chemistry of WalentaiteHide

Crystallography of WalentaiteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of WalentaiteHide

Synonyms of WalentaiteHide

Other Language Names for WalentaiteHide

Relationship of Walentaite to other SpeciesHide

Common AssociatesHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Fluorescence of WalentaiteHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for WalentaiteHide

References for WalentaiteHide

Localities for WalentaiteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide