Sulfate minerals

The sulfate minerals are a class of minerals which include the sulfate ion (SO₄²⁻) within their structure. The sulfate minerals occur commonly in primary evaporite depositional environments, as gangue minerals in hydrothermal veins and as secondary minerals in the oxidizing zone of sulfide mineral deposits. The chromate and manganate minerals have a similar structure and are often included with the sulfates in mineral classification systems.^[1]

Anhydrite crystal structure

Barite with cerussite

Sulfate minerals include:

• Anhydrous sulfates
  • Barite BaSO₄
  • Celestite SrSO₄
  • Anglesite PbSO₄
  • Anhydrite CaSO₄
  • Hanksite Na₂₂K(SO₄)₉(CO₃)₂Cl
• Hydroxide and hydrous sulfates
  • Gypsum CaSO₄·2H₂O
  • Chalcanthite CuSO₄·5H₂O
  • Kieserite MgSO₄·H₂O
  • Starkeyite MgSO₄·4H₂O
  • Hexahydrite MgSO₄·6H₂O
  • Epsomite MgSO₄·7H₂O
  • Meridianiite MgSO₄·11H₂O
  • Melanterite FeSO₄·7H₂O
  • Antlerite Cu₃SO₄(OH)₄
  • Brochantite Cu₄SO₄(OH)₆
  • Alunite KAl₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₆
  • Jarosite KFe₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₆

Nickel–Strunz Classification -07- Sulfates

Hanksite, one of the rare minerals that is a sulfate and carbonate

IMA-CNMNC proposes a new hierarchical scheme (Mills et al., 2009). This list uses it to modify the Classification of Nickel–Strunz (mindat.org, 10 ed, pending publication).

• Abbreviations:
  • "*" - discredited (IMA/CNMNC status).
  • "?" - questionable/doubtful (IMA/CNMNC status).
  • "REE" - Rare-earth element (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu)
  • "PGE" - Platinum-group element (Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt)
  • 03.C Aluminofluorides, 06 Borates, 08 Vanadates (04.H V^[5,6] Vanadates), 09 Silicates:
    • Neso: insular (from Greek νησος nēsos, island)
    • Soro: grouping (from Greek σωροῦ sōros, heap, mound (especially of corn))
    • Cyclo: ring
    • Ino: chain (from Greek ις [genitive: ινος inos], fibre)
    • Phyllo: sheet (from Greek φύλλον phyllon, leaf)
    • Tekto: three-dimensional framework
• Nickel–Strunz code scheme: NN.XY.##x
  • NN: Nickel–Strunz mineral class number
  • X: Nickel–Strunz mineral division letter
  • Y: Nickel–Strunz mineral family letter
  • ##x: Nickel–Strunz mineral/group number, x add-on letter

Class: sulfates, selenates, tellurates

• 07.A Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without Additional Anions, without H₂O
  • 07.AB With medium-sized cations: 05 Millosevichite, 05 Mikasaite; 10 Chalcocyanite, 10 Zincosite*
  • 07.AC With medium-sized and large cations: IMA2008-029, 05 Vanthoffite; 10 Efremovite, 10 Manganolangbeinite, 10 Langbeinite; 15 Eldfellite, 15 Yavapaiite; 20 Godovikovite, 20 Sabieite; 25 Thenardite, 35 Aphthitalite
  • 07.AD With only large cations: 05 Arcanite, 05 Mascagnite; 10 Mercallite, 15 Misenite, 20 Letovicite, 25 Glauberite, 30 Anhydrite; 35 Anglesite, 35 Barite, 35 Celestine, 35 Radiobarite*, 35 Olsacherite; 40 Kalistrontite, 40 Palmierite
• 07.B Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with Additional Anions, without H₂O
  • 07.BB With medium-sized cations: 05 Caminite, 10 Hauckite, 15 Antlerite, 20 Dolerophanite, 25 Brochantite, 30 Vergasovaite, 35 Klebelsbergite, 40 Schuetteite, 45 Paraotwayite, 50 Xocomecatlite, 55 Pauflerite
  • 07.BC With medium-sized and large cations: 05 Dansite; 10 Alunite, 10 Ammonioalunite, 10 Ammoniojarosite, 10 Beaverite, 10 Argentojarosite, 10 Huangite, 10 Dorallcharite, 10 Jarosite, 10 Hydroniumjarosite, 10 Minamiite, 10 Natrojarosite, 10 Natroalunite, 10 Osarizawaite, 10 Plumbojarosite, 10 Walthierite, 10 Schlossmacherite; 15 Yeelimite; 20 Atlasovite, 20 Nabokoite; 25 Chlorothionite; 30 Fedotovite, 30 Euchlorine; 35 Kamchatkite, 40 Piypite; 45 Klyuchevskite-Duplicate, 45 Klyuchevskite, 45 Alumoklyuchevskite; 50 Caledonite, 55 Wherryite, 60 Mammothite; 65 Munakataite, 65 Schmiederite, 65 Linarite; 70 Chenite, 75 Krivovichevite
  • 07.BD With only large cations: 05 Sulphohalite; 10 Galeite, 10 Schairerite; 15 Kogarkoite; 20 Cesanite, 20 Caracolite; 25 Burkeite, 30 Hanksite, 35 Cannonite, 40 Lanarkite, 45 Grandreefite, 50 Itoite, 55 Chiluite, 60 Hectorfloresite, 65 Pseudograndreefite, 70 Sundiusite
• 07.C Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without Additional Anions, with H₂O
  • 07.CB With only medium-sized cations: 05 Gunningite, 05 Dwornikite, 05 Kieserite, 05 Szomolnokite, 05 Szmikite, 05 Poitevinite, 05 Cobaltkieserite; 07 Sanderite, 10 Bonattite, 15 Boyleite, 15 Aplowite, 15 Ilesite, 15 Rozenite, 15 Starkeyite, 15 IMA2002-034; 20 Chalcanthite, 20 Jokokuite, 20 Pentahydrite, 20 Siderotil; 25 Bianchite, 25 Ferrohexahydrite, 25 Chvaleticeite, 25 Hexahydrite, 25 Moorhouseite, 25 Nickelhexahydrite; 30 Retgersite; 35 Bieberite, 35 Boothite, 35 Mallardite, 35 Melanterite, 35 Zincmelanterite, 35 Alpersite; 40 Epsomite, 40 Goslarite, 40 Morenosite; 45 Alunogen, 45 Meta-alunogen; 50 Coquimbite, 50 Paracoquimbite; 55 Rhomboclase, 60 Kornelite, 65 Quenstedtite, 70 Lausenite; 75 Lishizhenite, 75 Romerite; 80 Ransomite; 85 Bilinite, 85 Apjohnite, 85 Dietrichite, 85 Halotrichite, 85 Pickeringite, 85 Redingtonite, 85 Wupatkiite; 90 Meridianiite, 95 Caichengyunite
  • 07.CC With medium-sized and large cations: 05 Krausite, 10 Tamarugite; 15 Mendozite, 15 Kalinite; 20 Lonecreekite, 20 Alum-(K), 20 Alum-(Na), 20 Lanmuchangite, 20 Tschermigite; 25 Pertlikite, 25 Monsmedite?, 25 Voltaite, 25 Zincovoltaite; 30 Krohnkite, 35 Ferrinatrite, 40 Goldichite, 45 Loweite; 50 Blodite, 50 Changoite, 50 Nickelblodite; 55 Mereiterite, 55 Leonite; 60 Boussingaultite, 60 Cyanochroite, 60 Mohrite, 60 Picromerite, 60 Nickelboussingaultite; 65 Polyhalite; 70 Leightonite, 75 Amarillite, 80 Konyaite, 85 Wattevilleite
  • 07.CD With only large cations: 05 Matteuccite, 10 Mirabilite, 15 Lecontite, 20 Hydroglauberite, 25 Eugsterite, 30 Gorgeyite; 35 Koktaite, 35 Syngenite; 40 Gypsum, 45 Bassanite, 50 Zircosulfate, 55 Schieffelinite, 60 Montanite, 65 Omongwaite
• 07.D Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H₂O
  • 07.DB With only medium-sized cations; insular octahedra and finite groups: 05 Svyazhinite, 05 Aubertite, 05 Magnesioaubertite; 10 Rostite, 10 Khademite; 15 Jurbanite; 20 Minasragrite, 20 Anorthominasragrite, 20 Orthominasragrite; 25 Bobjonesite; 30 Amarantite, 30 Hohmannite, 30 Metahohmannite; 35 Aluminocopiapite, 35 Copiapite, 35 Calciocopiapite, 35 Cuprocopiapite, 35 Ferricopiapite, 35 Magnesiocopiapite, 35 Zincocopiapite
  • 07.DC With only medium-sized cations; chains of corner-sharing octahedra: 05 Aluminite, 05 Meta-aluminite; 10 Butlerite, 10 Parabutlerite; 15 Fibroferrite, 20 Xitieshanite; 25 Botryogen, 25 Zincobotryogen; 30 Chaidamuite, 30 Guildite
  • 07.DD With only medium-sized cations; sheets of edge-sharing octahedra: 05 Basaluminite?, 05 Felsobanyaite, 07.5 Kyrgyzstanite, 08.0 Zn-Schulenbergite; 10 Langite, 10 Posnjakite, 10 Wroewolfeite; 15 Spangolite, 20 Ktenasite, 25 Christelite; 30 Campigliaite, 30 Devilline, 30 Orthoserpierite, 30 Niedermayrite, 30 Serpierite; 35 Motukoreaite, 35 Mountkeithite, 35 Glaucocerinite, 35 Honessite, 35 Hydrowoodwardite, 35 Hydrohonessite, 35 Shigaite, 35 Natroglaucocerinite, 35 Wermlandite, 35 Nikischerite, 35 Zincaluminite, 35 Woodwardite, 35 Carrboydite, 35 Zincowoodwardite, 35 Zincowoodwardite-3R, 35 Zincowoodwardite-1T; 40 Lawsonbauerite, 40 Torreyite, 45 Mooreite, 50 Namuwite, 55 Bechererite, 60 Ramsbeckite, 65 Vonbezingite, 70 Redgillite; 75 Chalcoalumite, 75 Nickelalumite*; 80 Guarinoite, 80 Theresemagnanite, 80 Schulenbergite; 85 Montetrisaite
  • 07.DE With only medium-sized cations; unclassified: 05 Mangazeite; 10 Carbonatecyanotrichite, 10 Cyanotrichite; 15 Schwertmannite, 20 Tlalocite, 25 Utahite, 35 Coquandite, 40 Osakaite, 45 Wilcoxite, 50 Stanleyite, 55 Mcalpineite, 60 Hydrobasaluminite, 65 Zaherite, 70 Lautenthalite, 75 Camérolaite, 80 Brumadoite
  • 07.DF With large and medium-sized cations: 05 Uklonskovite, 10 Kainite, 15 Natrochalcite; 20 Metasideronatrite, 20 Sideronatrite; 25 Despujolsite, 25 Fleischerite, 25 Schaurteite, 25 Mallestigite; 30 Slavikite, 35 Metavoltine; 40 Lannonite, 40 Vlodavetsite; 45 Peretaite, 50 Gordaite, 55 Clairite, 60 Arzrunite, 65 Elyite, 70 Yecoraite, 75 Riomarinaite, 80 Dukeite, 85 Xocolatlite
  • 07.DG With large and medium-sized cations; with NO₃, CO₃, B(OH)₄, SiO₄ or IO₃: 05 Darapskite; 10 Clinoungemachite, 10 Ungemachite, 10 Humberstonite; 15 Bentorite, 15 Charlesite, 15 Ettringite, 15 Jouravskite, 15 Sturmanite, 15 Thaumasite, 15 Carraraite, 15 Buryatite; 20 Rapidcreekite, 25 Tatarskite, 30 Nakauriite, 35 Chessexite; 40 Carlosruizite, 40 Fuenzalidaite; 45 Chelyabinskite*
• 07.E Uranyl Sulfates
  • 07.EA Without cations: 05 Uranopilite, 05 Metauranopilite, 10 Jachymovite
  • 07.EB With medium-sized cations: 05 Johannite, 10 Deliensite
  • 07.EC With medium-sized and large cations: 05 Cobaltzippeite, 05 Magnesiozippeite, 05 Nickelzippeite, 05 Natrozippeite, 05 Zinc-zippeite, 05 Zippeite; 10 Rabejacite, 15 Marecottite, 20 Pseudojohannite
• 07.J Thiosulfates
  • 07.JA Thiosulfates with Pb: 05 Sidpietersite
• 07.X Unclassified Strunz Sulfates (Selenates, Tellurates)
  • 07.XX Unknown: 00 Aiolosite, 00 Steverustite, 00 Grandviewite, 00 IMA2009-008, 00 Adranosite, 00 Blakeite

Class: chromates

• 07.F Chromates
  • 07.FA Without additional anions: 05 Tarapacaite, 10 Chromatite, 15 Hashemite, 20 Crocoite
  • 07.FB With additional O, V, S, Cl: 05 Phoenicochroite, 10 Santanaite, 15 Wattersite, 20 Deanesmithite, 25 Edoylerite
  • 07.FC With PO₄, AsO₄, SiO₄: 05 Vauquelinite; 10 Fornacite, 10 Molybdofornacite; 15 Hemihedrite, 15 Iranite; 20 Embreyite, 20 Cassedanneite;
  • 07.FD Dichromates: 05 Lopezite

Class: molybdates, wolframates and niobates

• 07.G Molybdates, wolframates and niobates
  • 07.GA Without additional anions or H₂O: 05 Fergusonite-(Ce), 05 Fergusonite-(Nd)^N, 05 Fergusonite-(Y), 05 Powellite, 05 Wulfenite, 05 Stolzite, 05 Scheelite; 10 Formanite-(Y), 10 Iwashiroite-(Y); 15 Paraniite-(Y)
  • 07.GB With additional anions and/or H₂O: 05 Lindgrenite, 10 Szenicsite, 15 Cuprotungstite, 20 Phyllotungstite, 25 Rankachite, 30 Ferrimolybdite, 35 Anthoinite, 35 Mpororoite, 40 Obradovicite-KCu, 45 Mendozavilite-NaFe, 45 Paramendozavilite, 50 Tancaite-(Ce)
• 07.H Uranium and uranyl molybdates and wolframates
  • 07.HA With U⁴⁺: 05 Sedovite, 10 Cousinite, 15 Moluranite
  • 07.HB With U⁶⁺: 15 Calcurmolite, 20 Tengchongite, 25 Uranotungstite

References