Boleite

{{Short description|Complex halide mineral}} {{Infobox mineral | name = Boleite | category = Halide mineral | boxwidth = | boxbgcolor =#4e57db | boxtextcolor = #fff | image = Boleite-rom51c.jpg | imagesize = 260px | caption = | formula = KPb₂₆Ag₉Cu₂₄(OH)₄₈Cl₆₂ | IMAsymbol=Bol<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> | strunz = 3.DB.15 | system = Isometric | class = Hexoctahedral (m{{overline|3}}m) <br/>H-M symbol: (4/m {{overline|3}} 2/m) | symmetry = ''P''m{{overline|3}}m | unit cell = a = 15.29&nbsp;Å; Z&nbsp;=&nbsp;1 | color = Deep Prussian blue to indigo | habit = Cubic crystals | cleavage = [001] perfect | fracture = Uneven | tenacity = | mohs = 3.0 – 3.5 | polish = | luster = Vitreous to pearly | refractive = n = 2.05 | opticalprop = Isotropic | birefringence = | dispersion = | pleochroism = | fluorescence= | absorption = | streak = Greenish blue | gravity = 5.054 | density = | fusibility = | diagnostic = | solubility = | diaphaneity = Translucent | other =25px Radioactive 0.36% (K) | references = <ref name=HBM>[http://rruff.geo.arizona.edu/doclib/hom/boleite.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy]</ref><ref name=Mindat>[http://www.mindat.org/min-712.html Mindat.org]</ref><ref name=Webmin>[http://www.webmineral.com/data/Boleite.shtml Webmineral data]</ref> }}

'''Boleite''' is a complex halide mineral with formula: KPb₂₆Ag₉Cu₂₄(OH)₄₈Cl₆₂.<ref name=Mindat/> It was first described in 1891 as an oxychloride mineral. It is an isometric mineral which forms in deep-blue cubes. There are numerous minerals related to boleite, such as pseudoboleite, cumengite, and diaboleite, and these all have the same complex crystal structure.<ref>Martens, W., Williams, P.A., Frost, R.L. (2003) "Raman spectroscopy of the minerals boleite, cumengite, diaboleite and phosgenite – implications for the analysis of cosmetics of a antiquity". ''Mineralogical Magazine''. V.67: 103–111 [http://gsminmage.highwire.org/cgi/content/abstract/67/1/103 1]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> They all contain bright-blue cubic forms and are formed in altered zones of lead and copper deposits, produced during the reaction of chloride bearing solutions with primary sulfide minerals.<ref name=Rouse>Rouse, Roland C. (1973/01). "The Crystal Structure of boleite – A Mineral Containing Silver Atom Clusters". ''Journal of Solid State Chemistry'' 6(1): 86–92 [http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/33968 2]</ref>

==Physical properties== The external property of a boleite crystal structure indicates its cubic structure. It is classified under the isometric crystal class. Boleite has a perfect cleavage in the [001] direction, and has a very dark glossy blue color with a light greenish-blue color streak. Twinning is best shown in this mineral by notches along the interpenetrated angles, which results in a crystal habit of pseudocubic penetration twinning along three different angles perpendicular to one another. Boleite has cubes over half an inch on each side, which consist of pseudo-octahedral tetragonal dipyramids.<ref>Weber, Julius (1974). ''The Formation of Minerals''. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. New York, London. pp. 78–80</ref>

==Geologic occurrence== [[File:Atacamite-Boleite-Malachite-mrz301a.jpg|thumb|left|Boleite and atacamite from the Santa Rosa Mine, Noche Buena, Mazapil Municipality, Zacatecas, Mexico]] Boleite was first collected as a very minor ore of silver, copper and lead at Boleo, Mexico.<ref name=Rouse/> Boleite was named after its place of discovery, El Boleo mine, on the Baja Peninsula, near Santa Rosalia, Mexico.<ref name=Mindat/>

Minerals associated with boleite include pseudoboleite, cumengeite, atacamite, anglesite, cerussite, phosgenite and gypsum at the type locality in Boleo, Mexico. In the Mammoth-St. Anthony mine of Arizona associated minerals include pseudoboleite, anglesite, cerussite, atacamite, paratacamite, leadhillite, paralaurionite, caledonite, phosgenite, matlockite and bideauxite.<ref name=HBM/>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Cite journal|last=Gossner |first=Bernard |date=December 1928 |volume=13 |title=The Crystal form of Boleite |journal=The American Mineralogist |url=http://www.minsocam.org/ammin/AM13/AM13_580.pdf |pages=580–582}} *{{Cite journal|last1=Cooper |first1=Mark A. |last2=Hawthorne |first2=Frank C. |authorlink2=Frank Hawthorne |date=August 2000 |title=Boleite: Resolution of the Formula, KPb₂₆Ag₉Cu₂₄Cl₆₂(OH)₄₈ |journal=The Canadian Mineralogist |volume=38 |pages=801–808 |url=http://canmin.geoscienceworld.org/content/38/4/801.abstract?sid=0fe167ca-fc9c-4bad-ae96-7beb3e18d9c8 |doi=10.2113/gscanmin.38.4.801 |issue=4|bibcode=2000CaMin..38..801C |url-access=subscription }} *Parker, Robert L. (1981). ''Rocks and Mineral Deposits''. W.H. Freeman and Company. San Francisco. 343–422. *Pirsson, Louis V. (1964). ''Rocks and Rock Minerals''. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York, London. 34–56 *Williams, Peter A., Thomas, John H., Humphries, Alun, Samad, Abdul F. (1981). “Chemical Studies on the Stabilities of Boleite and Pseudoboleite”. ''Mineralogical Magazine'' v.44: 101–104 [http://www.minersoc.org/pages/Archive.htm 3]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/CRYPTOHALITE.pdf link to cryptohalite] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211202010021/http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/Cryptohalite.pdf |date=2021-12-02 }}

Category:Lead minerals Category:Potassium minerals Category:Silver minerals Category:Copper minerals Category:Halide minerals Category:Cubic minerals Category:Minerals in space group 221 Category:Minerals described in 1891