Jarosite
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Jarosite is a basic hydrous sulfate of potassium and iron with a chemical formula of KFe3+3(OH)6(SO4)2. This mineral is formed in ore deposits by the oxidation of iron sulfides. Jarosite is often produced as a byproduct during the purification and refining of Zinc and is also commonly associated with AMD (acid mine drainage) environments.
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[edit] Physical Properties
Jarosite is hexagonal and brittle, with basal cleavage, a hardness of 2.5-3.5, and a specific gravity of 3.15-3.26. It is translucent to opaque with a vitreous to dull lustre, and is coloured dark yellow to yellowish-brown. It can sometimes be confused with limonite or goethite with which it commonly occurs in the gossan (oxidized cap over an ore body). Jarosite is an iron analogue of the potassium aluminium sulfate, alunite.
[edit] History
Jarosite was first described in 1852 by August Breithaupt in the Barranco del Jaroso in the Sierra Almagrera (near Los Lobos, Cuevas del Almanzora, Almería, Spain).
In 2004 Jarosite was detected by the rover's Mössbauer spectrometer on Mars by the MER-B rover, which has been interpreted as strong evidence that Mars once possessed large amounts of liquid water.
[edit] References
- Palache, C., H. Berman, and C. Frondel (1951) Dana’s system of mineralogy, (7th edition), v. II, 560–562
- Mindat
- Webmineral data
- Mineral Data PDF
- Cornell University (2004) How an obscure mineral provided a vital clue to Martian water
[edit] External Links
Further information about the Jaros Hydrothermal system
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