Original paper
Horákite, a new hydrated bismuth uranyl-arsenate-phosphate mineral from Jáchymov (Czech Republic) with a unique uranyl-anion topology
Journal of Geosciences, volume 63 (2018), issue 3, 265 - 276
DOI: http://doi.org/10.3190/jgeosci.267
Horákite, ideally (Bi7O7OH)[(UO2)4(PO4)2(AsO4)2(OH)2]·3.5H2O, is a new uranyl mineral discovered on a specimen originating from Jáchymov, Czech Republic (most probably from the Geister vein, Rovnost mine). It occurs as a supergene alteration mineral in association with phosphuranylite (overgrowing older metatorbernite-metazeunerite) in a quartz gangue with abundant tennantite. Horákite forms greenish-yellow to pale yellow prismatic crystals clustering to acicular aggregates, up to 1 mm across. Crystals are transparent to translucent with a vitreous luster. The mineral has a light yellow streak. Estimated Mohs’ hardness is ~2. The cleavage is perfect on {100}. The calculated density is 6.358 g/cm3. Horákite is optically biaxial (+), α ≈ 1.81, β ≈ 1.84, γ ≈ 1.88 (measured in white light); 2Vobs. is 78(1)°, 2Vcalc. is 83°; non-pleochroic. The optical orientation is X = b, Z ≈ c. Electron-microprobe analysis yielded the empirical formula (Bi7.01Pb0.14)O7OH[(U1.01O2)4(P1.03O4)2(As0.74Si0.23O4)2(OH)2]·3.5H2O based on 37.5 O apfu. Horákite is monoclinic, C2/c, a = 21.374(2), b = 15.451(3), c = 12.168(2) Å, β = 122.26(1)° and V = 3398.1(10) Å3, Z = 4. The eight strongest X-ray powder-diffraction lines are [dobs Å(I)(hkl)]: 11.77(100)(110), 6.21(23)(-202), 5.55(23)(310, -112), 4.19(27)(-331), 3.54(61)( 510, -423), 3.29(20)( 331), 3.14(58)(241, 023) and 3.02(98)(150, 113, -533, mult.). The crystal structure refinement of horákite, refined to R = 5.95 % for 1774 unique observed reflections, revealed a novel sheet structure. It consists of topologically unique [(UO2)4(PO4)2(AsO4)2(OH)2] sheets (i.e., horákite topology), and an interstitial {(Bi7O7OH)(H2O)3.5} complex. Sheets result from the polymerization of UO7 bipyramids by sharing edges to form tetrameric units; tetrahedrally coordinated sites are linked to the UO7 both monodentately (T1 to U1) and bidentately (T2 to U2). The mineral is named after František Horák (1882-1919), the mining engineer in Jáchymov, and his grandson, Vladimír Horák (born 1964), an amateur mineralogist and expert on the mining history of the Jáchymov ore district.
IF (WoS, 2022): 1.4
5 YEAR IF (WoS, 2022): 1.8
Policy: Open Access
ISSN: 1802-6222
E-ISSN: 1803-1943