# Valentinite

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{{Short description|Antimony oxide mineral}}
{{infobox mineral
| name = Valentinite
| image = Valentinite-205948.jpg
| alt         = 
| caption = A sample of valentinite from Algeria (size: 6.9 x 4.4 x 3.3 cm)
| category = [Oxide minerals](/source/Oxide_minerals)
| formula     = Sb<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>
| IMAsymbol   = Vln<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      = 4.CB.55
| dana        = 
| system      = [Orthorhombic](/source/Orthorhombic)
| class       = Dipyramidal (mmm) <br/>[H-M symbol](/source/H-M_symbol): (2/m 2/m 2/m)
| symmetry    = ''Pccn''
| unit cell   = a = 4.91&nbsp;[Å](/source/%C3%85ngstr%C3%B6m), b = 12.46&nbsp;Å <br/>c = 5.42&nbsp;Å; Z&nbsp;=&nbsp;4
| color       = Colorless, snow-white, pale yellow, pink, gray to brownish
| colour      = 
| habit       = Prismatic crystals, sometimes flattened, fan-shaped or stellate aggregates of crystals; lamellar, columnar, granular, massive.
| twinning    = 
| cleavage    = {110}, perfect; {010}, imperfect
| fracture    = 
| tenacity    = Brittle
| mohs        = 2.5–3
| luster      = Adamantine, pearly on cleavages
| streak      = White
| diaphaneity = Transparent to translucent
| gravity     = 5.76
| density     = 
| polish      = 
| opticalprop = Biaxial (−)
| refractive  = n<sub>α</sub> = 2.180 n<sub>β</sub> = 2.350 n<sub>γ</sub> = 2.350
| birefringence = δ = 0.170
| pleochroism = 
| 2V          = Very small
| dispersion  = 
| extinction  = 
| length fast/slow =
| fluorescence = 
| absorption  = 
| melt        = 
| fusibility  = 
| diagnostic  = 
| solubility  = 
| impurities  = 
| alteration  = 
| other       = 
| references = <ref name=HBM>[http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/valentinite.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy]</ref><ref name=Mindat>[http://www.mindat.org/show.php?id=4135&ld=1&pho= Mindat with location data]</ref><ref name=Webmin>[http://webmineral.com/data/Valentinite.shtml Webmineral data]</ref>
}}
'''Valentinite''' is an [antimony oxide](/source/Antimony_trioxide) mineral with formula [Sb](/source/antimony)<sub>2</sub>[O](/source/oxygen)<sub>3</sub>. Valentinite crystallizes in the [orthorhombic](/source/orthorhombic) system and typically forms as radiating clusters of [euhedral](/source/euhedral) crystals or as fibrous masses. It is colorless to white with occasional shades or tints of yellow and red. It has a [Mohs hardness](/source/Mohs_hardness) of 2.5 to 3 and a [specific gravity](/source/specific_gravity) of 5.76.<ref>Pradyot Patnaik. ''Handbook of Inorganic Chemicals''. McGraw-Hill, 2002, {{ISBN|0-07-049439-8}}</ref>  Valentinite occurs as a [weathering](/source/weathering) product of [stibnite](/source/stibnite) and other antimony minerals. It is dimorphous with the [isometric](/source/Cubic_(crystal_system)) antimony oxide [senarmontite](/source/senarmontite).<ref name=HBM/>

==Historical data==
Valentinite is a mineral named in the middle of the 19th century in honour of [Basilius Valentinus](/source/Basilius_Valentinus), a writer on [alchemy](/source/alchemy). He is the supposed author of the first book to give a detailed description of antimony and its compounds. From the contents of the book it is also obvious that Valentinus was familiar with the synthetic preparation of [antimony trioxide](/source/antimony_trioxide), which was called 'the antimony flower'.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}}

Valentinite was first described in 1845 for an occurrence in the Les Chalanches Mine, [Allemond](/source/Allemond), Isère, [Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes](/source/Auvergne-Rh%C3%B4ne-Alpes), [France](/source/France).<ref name=Mindat/> The first description of its occurrence in the region of [Příbram](/source/P%C5%99%C3%ADbram) in [Bohemia](/source/Bohemia) comes roughly from the same time. This particular locality at one time produced the very best crystals of this mineral. The largest crystals found there measured up to 3&nbsp;cm. Grouped in rich druses, they developed in [vein](/source/Vein_(geology)) cavities with [galena](/source/galena).

==Occurrence==
thumb|left|Valentinite from Djebel Nador, Constantine Province, Algeria
Valentinite is a [weathering](/source/weathering) product of [hydrothermal](/source/hydrothermal) antimony-bearing veins, where it forms as a secondary mineral through [oxidation](/source/oxidation) in the upper parts of the deposits. It occurs associated with [stibnite](/source/stibnite), native antimony, [stibiconite](/source/stibiconite), [cervantite](/source/cervantite), [kermesite](/source/kermesite) and [tetrahedrite](/source/tetrahedrite).<ref name=HBM/>

A rich deposit of valentinite has been found in the [Constantine](/source/Constantine%2C_Algeria) province of [Algeria](/source/Algeria). This is the only deposit where it is mined as an [ore](/source/ore), with 83% antimony.{{citation needed|date = November 2010}} In all other locations it occurs in negligible quantities.

==See also==
*[List of minerals](/source/List_of_minerals)
*[List of minerals named after people](/source/List_of_minerals_named_after_people)

==References==
{{reflist}}

Category:Antimony minerals
Category:Oxide minerals
Category:Orthorhombic minerals
Category:Minerals in space group 56
Category:Minerals described in 1845

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