Cabalzarite is a rare arsenate mineral with the chemical formula Ca(Mg,Al,Fe3+
)
2
[AsO
4
]
2
•2(H
2
O,OH)
. It is a member of the tsumcorite group. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system and typically occurs as clusters of crystals or granular aggregates.[2][3]

Cabalzarite
Cabalzarite found in Switzerland
General
CategoryArsenate minerals
Formula
(repeating unit)
Ca(Mg,Al,Fe3+
)
2
[AsO
4
]
2
•2(H
2
O,OH)
IMA symbolClz[1]
Strunz classification8.CG.15
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Crystal classPrismatic (2/m)
(same H-M symbol)
Space groupC2/m
Unit cella = 8.925 Å,
b = 6.143 Å,
c = 7.352 Å,
β = 115.25°; Z = 2
Identification
ColorLight brown, brownish pink, orange brown
Crystal habitAggregates and clusters, granular
FractureIrregular
Mohs scale hardness5
LusterVitreous
StreakWhite
Diaphaneitytransparent
Specific gravity3.89
Optical propertiesBiaxial
Refractive indexnα = 1.700 nγ = 1.760
Birefringenceδ = 0.060
References[2][3][4]

It was first described for samples from an abandoned manganese mine in Falotta, Graubünden, Switzerland and named for Swiss amateur mineralogist Walter Cabalzar. It was approved as a new mineral by the IMA in 1997. It has also been reported from the Aghbar mine in Ouarzazate Province, Morocco.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
  2. ^ a b Cabalzarite mineral data from Webmineral
  3. ^ a b c Cabalzarite mineral information on Mindat.org
  4. ^ Brugger J., Meisser N., Schenk K., Berlepsch P., Bonin M., Armbruster T., Nyfeler D. and Schmidt S. 2000: Description and crystal structure of cabalzarite Ca(Mg,Fe,Al)2(AsO4)2(H2O,OH)2, a new mineral from the tsumcorite group. American Mineralogist, 85(9), 1307-1314; [1]