Slavkovite from Jáchymov and Horní Slavkov

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Created on Thursday, 12 July 2012 19:09

Last Updated on Thursday, 12 July 2012 19:09

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Slavkovite belongs among new minerals described recently from Czech Republic. In year 2010 was released article about this rare mineral. Idealized formula of slavkovite is Cu₁₃(AsO₄)₆(AsO₃OH)₄.23H₂O.

Slavkovite was mentioned for the first time as UNK2 phase in summary work from Sejkora et al. (2006) about minerals from Horní Slavkov. It was found here in the Hub quarry. It occurred in proximity of the altered vein with tennantite and cuprite. It formed light blue to blue-green crystalized coatings on the area up to 2 x 2 cm, which consisted from very small tabular crystals. This material was unfortunately insufficient for a single-crystal study, so it was not possible to describe this new phase. Fortunately was this mineral phase found in material caming out from the Svornost shaft in Jáchymov, which was of higher quality already. It was found here in paragenesis with geminite, lavendulan and lindackerite first. Later were found also a litlle worse specimens in paragenesis on the other locality with geminite and lavendulan. The specimen from the second found you can see on the photography. Photography of the type material from the first found of this mineral was published in Mineral  encyclopedia from Sejkora.

Agregates of slavkovite in paragenesis with lavendulan. FOV 3 mm.

Sources:

Sejkora J, Plášil J, Ondruš P, Veselovský F, Císarová I, Hloušek J (2010) Slavkovite, Cu₁₃(AsO₄)₆(AsO₃OH)₄·23H₂O, a new mineral species from Horní Slavkov and Jáchymov, Czech Republic: Description and crystal-structure determination, The Canadian Mineralogist 48, 1157-1170