Euchlorine

{{Short description|Sulfate mineral}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox mineral | name = Euchlorine, Euclorina, Euchlorin, Euchlorite | boxwidth = | boxbgcolor = | image = Euchlorine-808836.jpg | imagesize = | alt = | caption = | category = Sulfate mineral | formula = KNaCu3(SO4)3O | IMAsymbol = Ecr<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 = 7.BC.30 | dana = 30.3.1.1 | system = Monoclinic | class = | symmetry = ''C2/c'' | unit cell = a = 18.41(5) Å, b = 9.43(3) Å, c = 14.21(5) Å, β = 113.7(3)°; Z = 8 | color = Emerald-green, dark green | habit = Single crystals, tabular, incrustation | twinning = | cleavage = | fracture = | tenacity = | mohs = | luster = | streak = Pistachio green | diaphaneity = | gravity = | density = 3.28 (measured), 3.28 (calculated) | polish = | opticalprop = Biaxial (+), moderate relief, emerald green color (transmitted light) | refractive = nα = 1.580, nβ = 1.605, nγ = 1.644 | birefringence = δ = 0.064 | pleochroism = X: Pale grass-green, Y: Grass-green, Z: Bright yellow-green | 2V = Moderately large (measured) | dispersion = r < v | extinction = | length fast/slow = | fluorescence = | absorption = | melt = | fusibility = | diagnostic = | solubility = Partially soluble in water | impurities = | alteration = | other = | references = <ref name="Palache">Palache, C.; Berman, H.; Frondel, C. (1951). "''The System of Mineralogy of James Dwight Dana and Edward Salisbury Dana Yale University 1837–1892, Volume II: Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Etc."'' John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, 7th edition, revised and enlarged: pp. 571(as Euchlorin with other spellings listed including Euchlorine, Euchlorinite, Euclorina).</ref><ref name=HBM>[http://www.handbookofmineralogy.com/pdfs/euchlorine.pdf Handbook of Mineralogy – Euchlorine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185415/http://www.handbookofmineralogy.com/pdfs/euchlorine.pdf |date=3 March 2016 }}.</ref><ref name = Mindat>[http://www.mindat.org/min-1416.html Mindat.org – Euchlorine].</ref><ref name=WebMineral>[http://webmineral.com/data/Euchlorine.shtml Webmineral – Euchlorine].</ref><ref name="Scordari">Scordari, F. and Stasi, F. (1990). "''The crystal structure of euchlorine, NaKCu3O(SO4)3"'' ''Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie, Abhandlungen'', '''161''': 241–253.</ref><ref name="Jambor1991">Jambor, J.L.; Grew, E.S. (1991). [https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/msa/ammin/article-abstract/76/1-2/299/42506/New-mineral-names?redirectedFrom=fulltext "New mineral names"]. ''American Mineralogist'', '''76'''(1–2): 299–305.</ref><ref>Eugenio Scacchi: Sull’ euclorina, sull’ eriocaleo e sul melanotallo. In: Rendiconto dell'Accademia delle Scienze Fisiche e Matematiche. '''23''':158–165.</ref> }}

'''Euchlorine''' (KNaCu3(SO4)3O) is a rare emerald-green sulfate mineral found naturally occurring as a sublimate in fumaroles around volcanic eruptions.<ref name=HBM/><ref name = Mindat/><ref name=WebMineral/> It was first discovered in fumaroles of the 1868 eruption at Mount Vesuvius in Campania, Italy by Arcangelo Scacchi.<ref name="Palache"/><ref name="Scacchi">A. Scacchi (1869) (as Euclorina).</ref><ref name="EUROmin">[http://euromin.w3sites.net//mineraux/EUCHLORINE.html EUROmin Project – Euchlorine].</ref> The name 'euchlorine' comes from the Greek word {{lang|grc|εΰχλωρος}} meaning "pale green" in reference to the mineral's color, other reported spellings include euclorina, euchlorin, and euchlorite.<ref name="Palache"/><ref name="Scacchi"/><ref name="EUROmin"/>

The ideal formula of euchlorine is KNaCu3(SO4)3O though calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) occasionally substitute into the crystal lattice.<ref name="Jambor1990">Jambor, J.L.; Puziewicz, J. (1990). [https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/msa/ammin/article-abstract/75/9-10/1209/42445/New-mineral-names?redirectedFrom=fulltext "New mineral names"]. ''American Mineralogist'', '''75'''(9–10): 1209–1216.</ref> Euchlorine is structurally related to puninite (Na2Cu3(SO4)3O) and fedotovite (K2Cu3(SO4)3O), all of which are included in the ''euchlorine group'' of minerals.<ref name = Mindat/><ref name="Siidra">Siidra, O.I.; Nazarchuk, E.V.; Zaitsev, A.N.; Lukina, E.A.; Avdontseva, E.Y.; Vergasova, L.P.; Vlasenko, N.S.; Filatov, S.K.; Turner, R.; Karpov, G.A. (2017). [https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/eurjmin/article-abstract/29/3/499/520919/Copper-oxosulphates-from-fumaroles-of-Tolbachik?redirectedFrom=fulltext "Copper oxosulphates from fumaroles of Tolbachik volcano: puninite, Na2Cu3O(SO4)3 –a new mineral species and structure refinements of kamchatkite and alumoklyuchevskite"]. ''European Journal of Mineralogy'', '''29'''(3): 499–510.</ref>

One of the distinguishing physical properties helpful for identifying euchlorine in hand sample is its streak, which is a pistachio-green color.<ref name=WebMineral/><ref name="EUROmin"/> If trying to find euchlorine in the field, wear protective clothing as the volcanic fumaroles around which it occurs can be very hot (approximately 300 to 650{{nbsp}}°C, 580 to 1200{{nbsp}}°F) and can cause severe steam burns if not adequately protected.<ref name="Balassone">Balassone, G.; Petti, C.; Mondillo, N.; Panikorovskii, T.L.; de Gennaro, R.; Cappelletti, P.; Altomare, A.; Corriero, N.; Cangiano, M.; D'Orazio, L. (2019). [https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/9/12/730 "Copper Minerals at Vesuvius Volcano (Southern Italy): A Mineralogical Review"]. ''Minerals'', '''9'''(12): 730.</ref><ref name="FoxNews">Fox News (September 12, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/world/italian-parents-killed-in-volcanic-field-trying-to-rescue-their-son "Italian parents killed in volcanic field trying to rescue their son"].</ref>

==Geologic occurrence==

Mount Vesuvius, Naples, Italy is the type locality of euchlorine.<ref name="Palache"/><ref name=HBM/><ref name = Mindat/><ref name=WebMineral/><ref name="EUROmin"/> It occurred as a sublimate in fumaroles (hot vents of steam and other volcanic gases) that formed during the 1868 volcanic eruption, it has also been found in fumaroles during eruptions at the same location in 1892 and 1893.<ref name="Palache"/><ref name="Balassone"/> Mineral associations at this site include dolerophanite, eriochalcite, chalcocyanite, melanothallite, anglesite, atacamite, cryptochalcite, palmierite, barite, and natrochalcite.<ref name=HBM/><ref name="Balassone"/>

Euchlorine has also been found at Izalco Volcano in El Salvador.<ref name = HBM/><ref name = Mindat/> In 1987 euchlorine was one of the minerals found in association with Mcbirneyite when it was first discovered in fumaroles at the summit of Izalco Volcano.<ref name = Hughes>Hughes, J.M.; Christian, B.S.; Finger, L.W.; Malinconico, L.L. (1987). [https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-0273(87)90060-6 "Mcbirneyite, Cu3(VO4)2, a new sublimate mineral from the fumaroles of Izalco volcano, El Salvador"]. ''Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research'', '''33'''(1–3): 183–190.</ref> Other mineral associations at this location include stoiberite, fingerite, ziesite, and thenardite.<ref name = Hughes/>

In Russia, euchlorine has been found in association with multiple new minerals discovered in the 2000s and 2010s.<ref name="Chukanov">Chukanov, N.V.; Murashko, M.N.; Zadov, A.E.; Bushmakin, A.F. (2007). [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S1075701507070021 "Avdoninite, K2Cu5Cl8(OH)4 · H2O, a New Mineral Species from Volcanic Exhalations and the Technogenic Zone at Volcanic-Hosted Massive Sulfide Deposits"]. ''Geology of Ore Deposits'', '''49'''(7): 505–508.</ref><ref name="Zelenski">Zelenski, M.E.; Zubkova, N.V.; Pekov, I.V.; Polekhovsky, Y.S.; Pushcharovsky, D.Y. (2012). [https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/eurjmin/article-abstract/24/4/749/69691/Cupromolybdite-Cu3O-MoO4-2-a-new-fumarolic-mineral?redirectedFrom=fulltext "Cupromolybdite, Cu3O(MoO4)2, a new fumarolic mineral from the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia"]. ''European Journal of Mineralogy'', '''24'''(4): 749–757.</ref><ref name="Pekov">Pekov, I.V.; Zubkova, N.V.; Zelenski, M.E.; Yapaskurt, V.O.; Polekhovsky, Y.S.; Fadeeva, O.A.; Pushcharovsky, D.Y. (2013). [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/mineralogical-magazine/article/yaroshevskite-cu9o2vo44cl2-a-new-mineral-from-the-tolbachik-volcano-kamchatka-russia/797F1B852472C5884A9194F16E55DA40 "Yaroshevskite, Cu9O2(VO4)4Cl2, a new mineral from the Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia"]. ''Mineralogical Magazine'', '''77'''(1): 107–116.</ref><ref name="Pekov2">Pekov, I.V.; Zubkova, N.V.; Yapaskurt, V.O.; Belakovskiy, D.I.; Chukanov, N.V.; Lykova, I.S.; Savelyev, D.P.; Sidorov, E.G.; Pushcharovsky, D.Y. (2014). [https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/canmin/article-abstract/52/4/699/127543/WULFFITE-K3NaCu4O2-SO4-4-AND-PARAWULFFITE?redirectedFrom=fulltext "WULFFITE, K3NaCu4O2(SO4)4, AND PARAWULFFITE, K5Na3Cu8O4(SO4)8, TWO NEW MINERALS FROM FUMAROLE SUBLIMATES OF THE TOLBACHIK VOLCANO, KAMCHATKA, RUSSIA"]. ''The Canadian Mineralogist'', '''52'''(4): 699–716.</ref><ref name="Nazarchuk">Nazarchuk, E.V.; Siidra, O.I.; Agakhanov, A.A.; Lukina, E.A.; Avdontseva, E.Y.; Vergasova, L.P.; Filatov, S.K.; Karpov, G.A. (2015). "''Itelmenite, IMA2015-047"'', CNMNC Newsletter No. 27, October 2015, page 1225; ''Mineralogical Magazine'', '''79''', 1229–1236.</ref><ref name="Nazarchuk2">Nazarchuk, E.V.; Siidra, O.I.; Agakhanov, A.A.; Lukina, E.A.; Avdontseva, E.Y.; Karpov, G.A. (2018). [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/mineralogical-magazine/article/itelmenite-na2cumg2so44-a-new-anhydrous-sulfate-mineral-from-the-tolbachik-volcano/CE9B65394BC3155A574AC4586A900ED3 "Itelmenite, Na2CuMg2(SO4)4, a new anhydrous sulfate mineral from the Tolbachik volcano"]. ''Mineralogical Magazine'', '''82'''(6): 1233–1241.</ref>

At fumarole deposits in the North Breach from the Tolbachik Volcano eruption of the Great Fissure on the Kamchatka Peninsula euchlorine (as euchlorite) was found associated with newly discovered mineral avdoninite and reported around 2005–2007.<ref name="Chukanov"/> In 2012 the discovery of a new fumarolic mineral cupromolybdite found in the New Tolbachik Scoria Cones in association with euchlorine at Tolbachik Volcano was published.<ref name="Zelenski"/> Not long after, in early 2013, yaroshevskite was reported newly discovered from scoria cones of the Great Fissure Eruption at Tolbachik Volcano in association with euchlorine.<ref name="Pekov"/> Two new minerals were reported discovered in 2014 from two different fumaroles at Tolbachik Volcano in association with euchlorine.<ref name="Pekov2"/> The first mineral was wulffite and the second was parawulffite, both from the area of the Northern Breakthrough during the Great Fissure Eruption.<ref name="Pekov2"/> Work conducted on fumarole deposits from the same eruption found euchlorine being associated with a newly discovered mineral called itelmenite and was reported in 2015 and published in mid to late 2018.<ref name="Nazarchuk"/><ref name="Nazarchuk2"/>

In addition to the minerals discovered, euchlorine was found associated with minerals including: *Avdoninite – Paratacamite, atacamite, belloite, and langbeinite (Yadovitaya Fumarole, Second Cinder Cone, North Breach, Great Fissure Tolbachik Eruption, Tolbachik Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia<ref name="Chukanov"/>) *Cupromolybdite – Piypite, fedotovite, vergasovaite, hematite, magnetite, aphthitalite, langbeinite, palmierite, As-bearing orthoclase, lammerite, klyuchevskite, alumoklyuchevskite, lyonsite, pseudolyonsite, averievite, rutile, and native gold (New Tolbachik Scoria Cones, Tolbachik Volcano, Kamkatchka, Russia<ref name="Zelenski"/>) *Yaroshevskite – Fedotovite, hematite, tenorite, lyonsite, melanothallite, atlasovite, kamchatkite, secondary avdoninite, belloite, chalcanthite (Yadovitaya fumarole, Second Scoria Cone, Northern Breakthrough, Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik Volcano, Kamkatchka, Russia<ref name="Pekov"/>) *Wulffite – Aphthitalite, tenorite, hematite, lammerite, johillerite, fluoborite (Arsenatnaya Fumarole, Second Scoria Cone, Northern Breakthrough, Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik Volcano, Kamkatchka, Russia<ref name="Pekov2"/>) *Parawulffite – Fedotovite, hematite, langbeinite, steklite (Yadovitaya Fumarole, Second Scoria Cone, Northern Breakthrough, Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik Volcano, Kamkatchka, Russia<ref name="Pekov2"/>) *Itelmenite – Anhydrite, saranchinaite, hermannjahnite, thenardite (as thénardite), aphthitalite, and hematite (Naboko Scoria Cone, Tolbachik Volcano Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik Volcano, Kamkatchka, Russia<ref name="Nazarchuk2"/>)

Marcel Mine in Radlin, Poland has also discovered what may be euchlorine in the 2010s.<ref name = MarcelMine>[https://www.mindat.org/loc-265866.html Mindat.org – Marcel Mine].</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==Bibliography== *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. 571.

Category:Potassium minerals Category:Sodium minerals Category:Copper minerals Category:Sulfate minerals