Global InformationWaterhouseite information
| Waterhouseite | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | |
| Category | Phosphate mineral |
| Formula (repeating unit) | Mn7(PO4)2(OH)8 |
| IMA symbol | Whs[1] |
| Strunz classification | 8.BE.85 |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic |
| Crystal class | Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol) |
| Space group | P21/b |
| Unit cell | a = 11.364 Å, b = 5.57 Å c = 10.455 Å; β = 96.61°; Z = 2 |
| Identification | |
| Color | Orange-brown to dark brown |
| Crystal habit | Bladed crystals |
| Twinning | Contact twins on {100} |
| Cleavage | Perfect on {100}, indistinct on {001} |
| Fracture | Conchoidal |
| Tenacity | Brittle |
| Mohs scale hardness | 4 |
| Luster | Vitreous, Pearly on cleavages |
| Streak | Yellowish Brown |
| Diaphaneity | Transparent |
| Specific gravity | 3.55 |
| Optical properties | Biaxial (-) |
| Refractive index | nα = 1.730 nβ = 1.738 nγ = 1.738 |
| Birefringence | δ = 0.008 |
| Dispersion | absent |
| References | [2][3] |
Waterhouseite, Mn7(PO4)2(OH)8, is a hydroxy manganese phosphate mineral. It is a medium-soft, brittle mineral occurring in pseudo-orthorhombic monoclinic bladed crystals and orange-brown to dark brown in color. Waterhouseite is on the softer side with a Mohs hardness of 4, has a specific gravity of 3.5 and a yellowish-brown streak. It is named after Frederick George Waterhouse, first director of the South Australian Museum, as well as recognizes the work Waterhouse Club has done in support of the South Australian Museum.[4]
- ^ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
- ^ Mindat.org: Waterhouseite
- ^ Waterhouseite data on Webmineral.com
- ^ Pring, Allan (2005). "Description and unique crystal structure of waterhouseite, a new hydroxy manganese phosphate from the Iron Monarch deposit, Middleback Ranges, South Australia" (PDF). The Canadian Mineralogist. 43: 1401–1410. doi:10.2113/gscanmin.43.4.1401. Retrieved 25 November 2015.