# Mosesite

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mosesite
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mosesite.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosesite
> Source revision: 1354361732
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Dimercury imide mineral}}
{{Infobox mineral
| name        = Mosesite
| boxwidth    = 
| boxbgcolor  = 
| image       = 
| imagesize   = 
| alt         = 
| caption     = 
| category    = [Halide minerals](/source/Halide_minerals)
| formula     = {{chem2|Hg2N(Cl,SO4,MoO4,CO3)*H2O}}
| IMAsymbol   = Mos<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   = 
| strunz      = 3.DD.30
| dana        = 
| system      = [Cubic](/source/cubic_crystal_system)
| class       = Hextetrahedral ({{overline|4}}3m) <br/>[H-M symbol](/source/H-M_symbol): ({{overline|4}} 3m)
| symmetry    = ''F''{{overline|4}}3m
| unit cell   = 
| color       = Lemon-yellow, [canary](/source/yellow_canary)-yellow
| colour      = 
| habit       = Octahedral, cubo-octahedral, cubic
| twinning    = Twin plane {111}
| cleavage    = Imperfect {111}
| fracture    = Uneven
| tenacity    = Brittle
| mohs        = 3.5
| luster      = Adamantine
| streak      = Very light yellow
| diaphaneity = 
| gravity     = 
| density     = 
| polish      = 
| opticalprop = Isotropic
| refractive  = 
| birefringence = 
| pleochroism = 
| 2V          = 
| dispersion  = 
| extinction  = 
| length fast/slow =
| fluorescence = 
| absorption  = 
| melt        = 
| fusibility  = 
| diagnostic  = 
| solubility  = Changes to white substance in cold HCl
| impurities  = 
| alteration  = Turns a faint olivine green color with lengthy exposure to light
| other       = 
| prop1       = 
| prop1text   = 
| references  = <ref>[https://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/MineralData?mineral=Mosesite Mineralienatlas]</ref><ref name=mindat>{{Mindat|id=2790|name=Mosesite}}</ref><ref name=webmineral>[http://www.webmineral.com/data/Mosesite.shtml Webmineral.com]</ref><ref name=HBM>[http://www.handbookofmineralogy.com/pdfs/mosesite.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy]</ref>
}}
'''Mosesite''' is a very rare [mineral](/source/mineral) found in few locations. It is a [mercury](/source/mercury_(element)) mineral found as an accessory in deposits of mercury, often in conjunction with [limestone](/source/limestone). It is known to be found in the [U.S. state](/source/U.S._state)s of [Texas](/source/Texas) and [Nevada](/source/Nevada), and the [Mexican state](/source/Mexican_state)s of [Guerrero](/source/Guerrero) and [Querétaro](/source/Quer%C3%A9taro). It was named after Professor [Alfred J. Moses](/source/Alfred_J._Moses) (1859–1920) for his contributions to the field of [mineralogy](/source/mineralogy) in discovering several minerals found alongside mosesite. The mineral itself is various shades of yellow and a high occurrence of [spinel](/source/spinel) twinning. It becomes [isotropic](/source/Crystal_optics) when heated to {{convert|186|C}}.

== Composition ==
Mosesite contains 16 Hg, 3 Cl, {{frac|1|1|2}} SO<sub>4</sub>, {{frac|1|2}} CO<sub>3</sub>, {{frac|1|2}} MoO<sub>4</sub>, 16 H, and 8 N with a volume of 0.84777 nm<sup>3</sup> and calculated density of 7.53 g/cm<sup>3</sup>. Its [chemical formula](/source/chemical_formula) is {{chem2|Hg2N(Cl,SO4,MoO4,CO3)*H2O}}.

== Geologic occurrence ==
Discovered in a mercury mine in [Terlingua, Texas](/source/Terlingua%2C_Texas), mosesite has also been seen in Nevada and Mexico. Mosesite is a secondary mineral formed at low temperature in hydrothermal mercury deposits. The mercury ore at the mine in [Huahuaxtla](/source/Huahuaxtla) is aligned with ribs of [breccia](/source/breccia)ted [limestone](/source/limestone) that formed along a shallow-angle [fault](/source/fault_(geology)) plane.  In the Huahuaxtla mine, this is due to the evidence of oxidized minerals. The portion of the mine in which the mosesite was found is thought to be a solution cavity in a zone of fractured limestone. Mosesite is never found in abundance in any of the known locations of its origin. Mineral associations include [montroydite](/source/montroydite), [calcite](/source/calcite), [gypsum](/source/gypsum), and at some localities native [mercury](/source/mercury_(element)).

== Structure ==
[Spinel](/source/Spinel) twinning is a common occurrence in mosesite. Mosesite was found to have a [unit cell](/source/unit_cell) with diamond type space lattice and the measured [unit cube](/source/unit_cube) of Mosesite was approximately 0.944 nm with additional forms {001}, {011}, {116}, {114}, and {112}.  In Mexico, the mosesite was most usually found as octahedral crystals which were usually intergrown. Single crystals are rare. Mosesite has a similar structure to [Millon’s base](/source/Millon%E2%80%99s_base) (Hg<sub>2</sub>NOH•''n''H<sub>2</sub>0). Mosesite consists of a three-dimensional framework of Hg<sub>2</sub>N<sup>+</sup> groups. The mercury atoms form linear sp bonds, while the [nitrogen](/source/nitrogen) forms tetrahedral sp3 bonds, in a [face-centered cubic](/source/Cubic_crystal_system) lattice. The [space group](/source/space_group) of mosesite is F*43m.

==Physical properties ==
Mosesite is a minute yellow crystal with imperfect [cleavage](/source/Cleavage_(crystal)) along {111} and uneven fracture. It is brittle with a hardness of 3.5. Long exposure, a month or more, to light will change Mosesite to a light olive green color. The powdered form retains its color streaking a light yellow. The mineral exhibits no [pleochroism](/source/pleochroism) and displays uneven [birefringence](/source/birefringence) in polarized light. Heat has a notable effect on Mosesite for when heated above {{convert|186|C}} the mineral becomes isotropic. This corresponds optically with the observed crystal form only at this higher temperature. It is considered weakly anisotropic. The [index of refraction](/source/Refractive_index) is ''n''&nbsp;= 2.065±0.01. It has an adamantine luster that officially ranges in color from lemon yellow to canary yellow. Mosesite reacts chemically with HCl leaving a residue of HgCl.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Refbegin}}
* Bird, 1932 Paul H. Bird, A New Occurrence and X-ray Study of Mosesite, American Mineralogist 17 (12) (1932), pp.&nbsp;541–550.
* Canfield et al. 1910 F.A. Canfield, W.F. Hillebrand, W.T. Schaller, Mosesite, a New Mercury Mineral from Terlingua, Texas, [American Journal of Science](/source/American_Journal_of_Science) 30 (1910), pp.&nbsp;202–208.
* Luquer, 1920 Lea McI. Luquer, Alfred J. Moses,  American Mineralogist 5 (6) (1920), pp.&nbsp;109–112.
* Switzer et al., 1953 George S. Switzer, W.F. Foshag, K.J. Murata, J.J. Fahey, Re-Examination of Mosesite, American Mineralogist  38 (11-12), pp.&nbsp;1225–1234.
{{Ref end}}

==Bibliography==
*<small>Palache, P.; Berman H.; Frondel, C. (1960). "''Dana's System of Mineralogy, Volume II: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc. (Seventh Edition)"'' John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, pp. 89-90.</small>

Category:Mercury minerals
Category:Cubic minerals
Category:Minerals in space group 216

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