# Goslarite

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goslarite
> Source revision: 1340167561
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{{Infobox mineral
| name          = Goslarite
| image         = File:Goslarita. Gostar.Hartz,Sajonia.JPG
| imagesize     = 260px
| caption       = Goslarite on display at the [Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales](/source/Museo_Nacional_de_Ciencias_Naturales)
| category      = [Sulfate mineral](/source/Sulfate_mineral)
| formula       = {{chem2|ZnSO4*7H2O}}
| IMAsymbol   = Gos<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Warr|first=L.N.|date=2021|title=IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols|journal=Mineralogical Magazine|volume=85|issue=3|pages=291–320|doi=10.1180/mgm.2021.43|bibcode=2021MinM...85..291W|s2cid=235729616|doi-access=free}}</ref>
| molweight     = 287.56 g/mol
| strunz        = 7.CB.40
| system        = [Orthorhombic](/source/Orthorhombic)
| class         = Disphenoidal (222) <br/><small>(same [H-M symbol](/source/H-M_symbol))</small>
| symmetry      = ''P2''<sub>1</sub>2<sub>1</sub>2<sub>1</sub>
| unit cell     = a = 11.8176&nbsp;[Å](/source/%C3%85ngstrom), b = 12.0755&nbsp;Å <br/>c = 6.827&nbsp;Å, Z&nbsp;=&nbsp;4
| color         = Colorless, pinkish, white, greenish, green, blue, green blue, bluish and brownish
| habit         = Acicular, massive, stalactitic 
| cleavage      = {010} perfect
| fracture      = Conchoidal 
| tenacity      = Brittle
| mohs          = 2.0–2.5
| luster        = Vitreous (glassy)
| opticalprop   = Biaxial (-)
| refractive    = n<sub>α</sub> = 1.447 - 1.463 n<sub>β</sub> = 1.475 - 1.480 n<sub>γ</sub> = 1.470 - 1.485
| birefringence = δ = 0.0220–0.0230
| pleochroism   = none
| 2V            = 46°
| streak        = White
| gravity       = 1.96 
| references    = <ref>{{cite book |editor1=Anthony, John W. |editor2=Bideaux, Richard A. |editor3=Bladh, Kenneth W. |editor4=Nichols, Monte C. |title=Handbook of Mineralogy |publisher=Mineralogical Society of America |place=Chantilly, VA, US |url=http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/goslarite.pdf.pdf |chapter=goslarite |isbn=0962209716 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref>[http://www.mindat.org/min-1731.html Goslarite on Mindat]</ref><ref>[http://www.webmineral.com/data/Goslarite.shtml Goslarite data on Webmineral]</ref><ref>Hurlbut, Cornelius S.; Klein, Cornelis, 1985, ''Manual of Mineralogy,'' 20th ed., {{ISBN|0-471-80580-7}}</ref>
}}

'''Goslarite'''  is a [hydrated](/source/water_of_crystallization) [zinc](/source/zinc) [sulfate mineral](/source/sulfate_mineral) ({{chem2|ZnSO4 * 7 H2O}}) which was first found in the Rammelsberg mine, [Goslar](/source/Goslar), [Harz](/source/Harz), [Germany](/source/Germany). It was described in 1847. Goslarite belongs to the [epsomite](/source/epsomite) group which also includes epsomite ({{chem2|MgSO4 * 7 H2O}}) and morenosite ({{chem2|NiSO4 * 7 H2O}}). Goslarite is an unstable mineral at the surface and will dehydrate to other minerals like [bianchite](/source/bianchite) ({{chem2|ZnSO4 * 6 H2O}}), [boyleite](/source/boyleite) ({{chem2|ZnSO4 * 4 H2O}}) and [gunningite](/source/gunningite) ({{chem2|ZnSO4 * H2O}}).

==Physical properties==
The composition of goslarite was determined by the US National Bureau of Standards (now the [National Institute of Standards and Technology](/source/National_Institute_of_Standards_and_Technology)) in 1959 as follows: SO<sub>3</sub> 27.84 wt%, ZnO 28.30 wt% and {{chem2|H2O}} 43.86 wt%.

Goslarite's cleavage is perfect in {010}, as for epsomite and morenosite. The color of goslarite ranges from brownish to  pinkish, blue, brown, colorless, green and green blue. The luster ranges from vitreous to nacreous and silky (if fibrous). Goslarite is soluble in water, has an astringent taste, and is strongly [diamagnetic](/source/diamagnetic).<ref>{{cite book|last=Dana|first=J.D.|title=A System of Mineralogy Comprising The Most Recent Discoveries|url=https://archive.org/details/asystemmineralo05danagoog|year=1854|publisher=Putnam|location=New York|page=[https://archive.org/details/asystemmineralo05danagoog/page/n706 384]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Egleston|first=T|title=Catalogue of Minerals, with Their Formulae and Crystalline Systems: Prepared for the Use of the Students of the School of Mines, of Columbia College|year=1871|publisher=Angell|location=Columbia|page=173}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Palache|title=The System of Mineralogy|year=1944|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location=New York|pages=513–516}}</ref>

==Geologic occurrence==
Goslarite is formed from the [oxidation](/source/Redox) of [sphalerite](/source/sphalerite) ((Zn, Fe)S).<ref>{{cite book|last=Gaines|first=RV|title=Dana's New Mineralogy|year=1997|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location=New York|isbn=0471193100|page=819}}</ref> It was first found in Rammelsberg mine, Goslar, Harz, Germany. It often occurs as an [efflorescence](/source/efflorescence) on timbers and walls of mine passages.   Goslarite is widespread as a post mining efflorescence in mines that contain sphalerite or any zinc minerals.

==Economical uses==
In the pharmaceutical industry it is used as a direct [emetic](/source/emetic), [antiseptic](/source/antiseptic) and disinfectant.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Carretero|first1=MI|title=Clay and non-clay minerals in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries Part II. Active ingredients|journal=Applied Clay Science|year=2009|volume=47|pages=171–181|doi=10.1016/j.clay.2009.10.016|first2=Manuel|issue=3–4|last2=Pozo}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|35em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mindat.org/photo-46950.html Mineral Picture]

Category:Zinc minerals
Category:Sulfate minerals
Category:Heptahydrate minerals
Category:Orthorhombic minerals
Category:Minerals in space group 19
Category:Minerals described in 1847

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Goslarite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goslarite) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goslarite?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.