Apjohnite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Apjohnite
James Apjohn
Formula:
Mn2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Colour:
Colourless, white, light pink, light yellow, light green
Lustre:
Silky
Hardness:
1½ - 2
Specific Gravity:
1.78 - 1.81
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Member of:
Name:
Named in honor of James Apjohn (1 September 1796, Ireland - 3 June 1886, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland), Professor of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. His birthplace is listed from different sources as Granard, Co. Longford and Sunville, Pallasgrean, Co. Limerick. He made contributions in the areas of chemistry, electricity, and mineralogy, and first described this mineral.
Type Locality:
Halotrichite Group
At least a partial (and probably a complete ?) series toward Apjohnite exists from Pickeringite and Halotrichite.
At least a partial (and probably a complete ?) series toward Apjohnite exists from Pickeringite and Halotrichite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
281
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:281:9
IMA Classification of Apjohnite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
Mn2+Al2(S6+O4)4·22H2O
First published:
1838
Type description reference:
Glocker, Ernst Friedrich (1847) Generum et specierum mineralium, secundum ordines naturales digestorum synopsis, omnium, quotquot adhuc reperta sunt, mineralium nomina complectens [A synopsis of the genera and species of minerals, according to their natural orders, including the names of all the minerals that have yet been discovered.]. Eduardus Anton. 348 pp. pp.288-304
Classification of Apjohnite
7.CB.85
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
C : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, with H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
C : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) without additional anions, with H2O
B : With only medium-sized cations
29.7.3.3
29 : HYDRATED ACID AND NORMAL SULFATES
7 : AB2(XO4)4·H2O
29 : HYDRATED ACID AND NORMAL SULFATES
7 : AB2(XO4)4·H2O
25.9.7
25 : Sulphates
9 : Sulphates of Mn
25 : Sulphates
9 : Sulphates of Mn
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Apj | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Apjohnite
Silky
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Comment:
In aggregates
Colour:
Colourless, white, light pink, light yellow, light green
Streak:
White
Hardness:
1½ - 2 on Mohs scale
Density:
1.78 - 1.81 g/cm3 (Measured) 1.836 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Apjohnite
Type:
Biaxial (-)
RI values:
nα = 1.478 nβ = 1.482 nγ = 1.482
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.004
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Based on recorded range of RI values above.
Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.
Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.
Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.
Surface Relief:
Moderate (negative)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).
This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised
light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive
index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral
colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized biaxial acute bisectrix (Bxa) interference figure
- the conoscopic view for a grain cut perpendicular to the acute bisectrix, using
this mineral's 2V. The two small white dots mark the melatopes - the points
where the two optic axes emerge - and are shown only when they fall within the
field of view. The coloured bands are isochromatics, and the dark bands are
isogyres.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
No measured or calculated 2V is on file for this mineral, so the value used here (-0°) is estimated from its recorded refractive indices and optic sign, not from a direct 2V measurement.
Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
No measured or calculated 2V is on file for this mineral, so the value used here (-0°) is estimated from its recorded refractive indices and optic sign, not from a direct 2V measurement.
Dispersion:
none
Optical Extinction:
Y = b; Z ∧ c = 30°.
Chemistry of Apjohnite
Mindat Formula:
Mn2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Apjohnite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/b
Setting:
P21/c
Cell Parameters:
a = 6.19 Å, b = 24.34 Å, c = 21.26 Å
β = 100.28°
β = 100.28°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.254 : 1 : 0.873
Unit Cell V:
3,151.71 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Crystals acicular aggregated into masses and crusts; also asbestiform.
Crystal Structure
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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
| ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0014465 | Apjohnite | Menchetti S, Sabelli C (1976) The halotrichite group: The crystal structure of apjohnite Mineralogical Magazine 40 599-608 |  | 1976 | Terlano, Bolzano, Italy | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 3.515 Å | (100) |
| 4.82 Å | (90) |
| 3.792 Å | (33) |
| 4.33 Å | (27b) |
| 3.967 Å | (23) |
| 4.13 Å | (22) |
| 6.07 Å | (20) |
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 45a : [Sulfates, arsenates, selenates, antimonates] | |
| Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals | <10 Ka |
| 55 : Anthropogenic mine minerals |
Type Occurrence of Apjohnite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Transparent threads or fibers, resembling satin-spar.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
No designated type material.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Efflorescences.
Reference:
Glocker, Ernst Friedrich (1847) Generum et specierum mineralium, secundum ordines naturales digestorum synopsis, omnium, quotquot adhuc reperta sunt, mineralium nomina complectens [A synopsis of the genera and species of minerals, according to their natural orders, including the names of all the minerals that have yet been discovered.]. Eduardus Anton. 348 pp. pp.288-304
Synonyms of Apjohnite
Manganese Alum (in part)
Other Language Names for Apjohnite
Relationship of Apjohnite to other Species
Member of:
Other Members of Halotrichite Group:
| Bílinite | Fe2+Fe3+2(SO4)4 · 22H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Dietrichite | ZnAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Halotrichite | Fe2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O | Mon. 2 : P2 |
| Pickeringite | MgAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
| Redingtonite | Fe2+Cr3+2(SO4)4 · 22H2O | Mon. 2 |
| Wupatkiite | Co2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O | Mon. 2/m : P21/b |
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 7.CB. | Sarvodaite | Al2(SO4)3 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.02 | Voudourisite | CdSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Szmikite | MnSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Szomolnokite | FeSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Cobaltkieserite | CoSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Dwornikite | Ni(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Kieserite | MgSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Poitevinite | (Cu,Fe)SO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.05 | Gunningite | ZnSO4 · H2O |
| 7.CB.07 | Sanderite | MgSO4 · 2H2O |
| 7.CB.10 | Bonattite | CuSO4 · 3H2O |
| 7.CB.12 | Belogubite | CuZn(SO4)2 · 10H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Drobecite | CdSO4 · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Aplowite | CoSO4 · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Cranswickite | MgSO4 · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Rozenite | FeSO4 · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Starkeyite | MgSO4 · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Ilesite | Mn2+(SO4) · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.15 | Boyleite | ZnSO4 · 4H2O |
| 7.CB.20 | Siderotil | FeSO4 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.20 | Jôkokuite | MnSO4 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.20 | Pentahydrite | MgSO4 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.20 | Chalcanthite | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.25 | Chvaleticeite | Mn2+(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.25 | Nickelhexahydrite | Ni2+(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.25 | Hexahydrite | Mg(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.25 | Bianchite | Zn(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.25 | Moorhouseite | Co2+(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.25 | Ferrohexahydrite | Fe2+(H2O)6(SO4) |
| 7.CB.30 | Retgersite | NiSO4 · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Zincmelanterite | Zn(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Melanterite | Fe2+(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Alpersite | (Mg,Cu2+)(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Bieberite | Co2+(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Boothite | Cu2+(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.35 | Mallardite | Mn2+(H2O)6(SO4) · H2O |
| 7.CB.40 | Epsomite | MgSO4 · 7H2O |
| 7.CB.40 | Goslarite | ZnSO4 · 7H2O |
| 7.CB.40 | Morenosite | NiSO4 · 7H2O |
| 7.CB.45 | Meta-alunogen | Al2(SO4)3 · 12H2O |
| 7.CB.45 | Alunogen | Al2(SO4)3 · 17H2O |
| 7.CB.50 | Aluminocoquimbite | Al2Fe2(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.50 | Lazaridisite | Cd3(SO4)3 · 8H2O |
| 7.CB.52 | Pararaisaite | CuMg[Te6+O4(OH)2] · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.55 | Paracoquimbite | Fe4(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.55 | Rhomboclase | (H5O2)Fe3+(SO4)2 · 2H2O |
| 7.CB.55 | Raisaite | CuMg[Te6+O4(OH)2] · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.55 | Coquimbite | AlFe3(SO4)6(H2O)12 · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.57 | 'Caichengyunite' | Fe2+3Al2(SO4)6 · 30H2O |
| 7.CB.60 | Kornelite | Fe2(SO4)3 · 7H2O |
| 7.CB.65 | Quenstedtite | Fe2(SO4)3 · 11H2O |
| 7.CB.70 | Lausenite | Fe2(SO4)3 · 5H2O |
| 7.CB.75 | Römerite | Fe2+Fe3+2(SO4)4 · 14H2O |
| 7.CB.75 | Lishizhenite | ZnFe2(SO4)4 · 14H2O |
| 7.CB.80 | Ransomite | CuFe2(SO4)4 · 6H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Dietrichite | ZnAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Halotrichite | Fe2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Redingtonite | Fe2+Cr3+2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Pickeringite | MgAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Bílinite | Fe2+Fe3+2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.85 | Wupatkiite | Co2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7.CB.90 | Meridianiite | MgSO4 · 11H2O |
Other Information
Notes:
Soluble in water.
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Apjohnite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-281.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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References for Apjohnite
Reference List:
Glocker, Ernst Friedrich (1847) Generum et specierum mineralium, secundum ordines naturales digestorum synopsis, omnium, quotquot adhuc reperta sunt, mineralium nomina complectens [A synopsis of the genera and species of minerals, according to their natural orders, including the names of all the minerals that have yet been discovered.]. Eduardus Anton. 348 pp. pp.288-304
Menchetti, S., Sabelli, C. (1976) The halotrichite group: the crystal structure of apjohnite. Mineralogical Magazine, 40 (314) 599-608 doi:10.1180/minmag.1976.040.314.07
Frost, Ray L., Theo Kloprogge, J., Williams, Peter A., Leverett, Peter (2000) Raman microscopy of some natural pseudo-alums: halotrichite, apjohnite and wupatkiite, at 298 and 77 K. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 31 (12). 1083-1087 doi:10.1002/1097-4555(200012)31:12<1083::aid-jrs647>3.0.co;2-#
Ballirano, Paolo (2006) Crystal chemistry of the halotrichite group XAl2(SO4)4·22H2O: the X = Fe-Mg-Mn-Zn compositional tetrahedron. European Journal of Mineralogy, 18 (4) 463-469 doi:10.1127/0935-1221/2006/0018-0463
Palmer, Sara; Frost, Ray L. (2006) Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of apjohnite and pickingerite. Polyhedron, 25 (17). 3379-3386 doi:10.1016/j.poly.2006.06.010
Lakshmi Reddy, S., Siva Reddy, G., Wain, D.L., Martens, W.N., Jagannatha Reddy, B., Frost, R.L. (2006) Electron paramagnetic resonance, optical absorption and IR spectroscopic studies of the sulphate mineral apjohnite. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 65 (5) 1227-1233 doi:10.1016/j.saa.2006.01.051
Lane, M. D. (2007) Mid-infrared emission spectroscopy of sulfate and sulfate-bearing minerals. American Mineralogist, 92 (1) 1-18 doi:10.2138/am.2007.2170
Localities for Apjohnite
Showing 39 localities.
symbol to view information about a locality.
The Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Bulgaria | |
| Atanassova et al. (2009) |
Chile | |
| Peter G. Seroka collection |
Costa Rica | |
| Rodríguez et al. (2017) |
| Ulloa et al. (2018) |
Czech Republic | |
| Hloušek et al. (2002) |
| |
Greece | |
| Rieck et al. (2020) |
| Rieck et al. (2020) |
Italy | |
| Locke et al. (2007) |
| Exel (1987) | |
Mozambique (TL) | |
| Palache et al. (1951) +1 other reference |
Portugal | |
| Marques de Sá et al. (2010) |
Romania | |
| Onac (2003) |
| B. Onac et al (2009, July) |
| Apopei et al. (2014) |
| Onac (2009) |
| Ł. Kruszewski & M. Cegiełka PXRD data +2 other references |
Russia | |
| Okrugin (2004) |
| Bortnikova et al. (2009, February) | |
| Bortnikova et al. (2009, February) | |
| Zhdanov Yu.Ya. (1998) |
Senegal | |
| Montoroi (1995) |
Slovakia | |
| Kokta (1939) +2 other references |
| Koděra (1990) | |
| Koděra et al. (1986) |
Spain | |
| Valente et al. (2013) |
| Carlos J. Rodríguez collection |
| Tony Nikischer and Luis Menezes |
| |
USA | |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| Castor et al. (2004) |
| Castor et al. (2004) |
| Castor et al. (2004) |
| Northrop et al. (1996) |
| Northrop et al. (1996) |
| Scientific study done by Matt Livingood |
| Paris (2011) |
| Palache et al. (1951) +2 other references |
| Bullock (1981) |
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Alum Cave Bluff, Sevier County, Tennessee, USA