Paratacamite-(Ni), Cu_3(Ni,Cu)Cl_2 (OH)_6, a new mineral from the Carr Boyd Rocks mine, Western Australia

摘要

Paratacamite-(Ni) (IMA 2013-013), Cu (Ni,Cu)Cl (OH)_6 is a new Ni-rich mineral with the paratacamite structure. It occurs in the Carr Boyd Rocks nickel mine, Western Australia, as a supergene alteration phase in association with gillardite, spangolite and gypsum. ParatacamiteXNi) occurs as aggregates of equantrhombohedral crystals up to ca2mm in size and exhibits the forms {101}, {021} and {001}. The mineral is dark green with a light-green streak, transparent and has a vitreous lustre. It has good cleavage on {1011}. Measured and calculated densities are 3.70 and 3.735 g cm~(-3), respectively. Optically, paratacamite-(Ni) is uniaxial (-) with w and e >1.8.