Vysokýite - new arsenate from Jáchymov

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Created on Monday, 01 April 2013 16:05
Last Updated on Friday, 10 May 2013 15:23
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Vysokýite is another very rare exotic Jáchymov mineral caming up from the 10th level of the Svornost shaft. It was found about 30 years ago on the so called "Arsenic lens" in the south part of the Geschieber vein between the Svornost and Josef shaft. We know today specimens of kaatialaite and claudetite from there. Vysokýite was described by Plášil et al. in the year 2013.

 

 

 

Its ideal chemical composition is  U4+[AsO2(OH)2]4 * 4H2O. It forms needle crystals and felts of the light green colour covering extraordinary the area up to several cm2. Vysokýite is growing, like běhounekite or štěpite, on the native arsenic. It was found in association with štěpite. It was very rare found on fractures of the surroundings rock. Vysokýite was found on tenth of specimens approximately and considering its exceptional chemical composition, will stay rare in future very probably too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cotype vysokýite specimen from Jáchymov, Svornost shaft, 10th level, FOV 2,5 mm.

 

 

Literatura:

Plášil*, J., Fejfarová, K., Hloušek, J., Škoda, R., Novák, M., Sejkora, J.,Čejka, J. Veselovský, F. a Majzlan, J. (2013) Vysokýite , IMA 2012-067. CNMNC
Newsletter No. 15, February 2013, page 9; Mineralogical Magazine, 77, 112.