Wattersite

Wattersite
Black crystals of wattersite with yellowish zones of edgarbaileyite. Locality: Clear Creek claim (Clear Creek Mine), Picacho Peak, New Idria District, Diablo Range, San Benito Co., California, USA. Dimensions: 6.6 cm x 4.8 cm x 4.1 cm
General
CategoryChromate mineral
Formula
(repeating unit)		Hg+14Hg+2Cr+6O6
IMA symbolWte[1]
Strunz classification7.FB.15
Dana classification35.4.2.1
Crystal systemMonoclinic
Crystal class2/m
Space groupC2/c (number 15)
Unit cell859.81 ų
Identification
ColorDark red-brown to black
Crystal habitPrismatic, aggregates, massive
Twinning[001], contact twins on {100}
CleavageNone
FractureConchoidal
TenacityBrittle
Mohs scale hardness4.5
LusterSub-Metallic
StreakBrick red
DiaphaneityOpaque
Specific gravity8.91
Optical propertiesBiaxial
Refractive indexnα = 2.440 - 2.520 nγ = 2.700 - 2.860
Birefringenceδ = 0.260 - 0.340
PleochroismVisible
Dispersionr > v strong
References[2][3][4]

Wattersite is a rare mercury chromate mineral with the formula Hg+14Hg+2Cr+6O6.[2] It occurs in association with native mercury and cinnabar in a hydrothermally altered serpentinite.[3] It was first described from Clear Creek claim, San Benito County, California, USA in 1961.[5] It was named to honor Californian mineral collector Lucius "Lu" Watters.[3]

References

  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 "Wattersite". MinDat. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "Handbook of Mineralogy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2017-04-29.
  4. ^ Groat, L.A.; Roberts, A.C.; Le Page, Y. (1995). "The crystal structure of wattersite, Hg4HgCrO6". The Canadian Mineralogist. 33: 41–46.
  5. ^ Roberts, Andrew C.; Bonardi, Maurizio; Erd, Richard C.; Criddle, Alan J.; Le Page, Yvon (1991). "Wattersite Hg+14Hg+2Cr+6O6 a new mineral from the Clear Creek claim San Benito Country, California". The Mineralogical Record. 22: 269–272.