Yukonite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Yukonite
Flag of Yukon, Canada
Formula:
Ca3Fe3+(AsO4)2(OH)3 · 5H2O
Colour:
Red-brown, dark brown, nearly black, dark purple
Lustre:
Resinous, Waxy
Hardness:
2 - 3
Specific Gravity:
2.65
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Name:
Named in 1913 by Joseph Burr Tyrrell and Ronald P. D. Graham for its discovery locality, the Daulton Mine, west side of Windy Arm, Tagish Lake, Yukon, Canada.
Easily confused with Arseniosiderite and identifiable only with XRD methods, although yukonite is frequently amorphous to X-rays.
Paktunc et al. (2015) consider yukonite a "nanocrystalline precursor and Ca-deficient variety of arseniosiderite". King et al. (2020) show that yukonite is a nano-sized analog of arseniosiderite which lacks any long-range order but is locally similar.
Note: The "yukonite" described by Nishikawa et al. (2006) may in fact be identical to the Unnamed (Arseniosiderite-related mineral).
Paktunc et al. (2015) consider yukonite a "nanocrystalline precursor and Ca-deficient variety of arseniosiderite". King et al. (2020) show that yukonite is a nano-sized analog of arseniosiderite which lacks any long-range order but is locally similar.
Note: The "yukonite" described by Nishikawa et al. (2006) may in fact be identical to the Unnamed (Arseniosiderite-related mineral).
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
4377
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:4377:5
Similar Names
| Aikinite | A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered | CuPbBiS3 |
| Aikinite (of Lévy) |
IMA Classification of Yukonite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
Ca2Fe3+3(AsO4)3(OH)4 · 4H2O
First published:
1913
Classification of Yukonite
8.DM.25
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
M : With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 > 2:1
8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
D : Phosphates, etc. with additional anions, with H2O
M : With large and medium-sized cations, (OH, etc.):RO4 > 2:1
42.8.6.1
42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
8 : (AB)5(XO4)3Zq·xH2O
42 : HYDRATED PHOSPHATES, ETC.CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
8 : (AB)5(XO4)3Zq·xH2O
20.9.12
20 : Arsenates (also arsenates with phosphate, but without other anions)
9 : Arsenates of Fe
20 : Arsenates (also arsenates with phosphate, but without other anions)
9 : Arsenates of Fe
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.
| Symbol | Source | Reference for Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Yuk | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
| Yuk | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) | The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download |
Pronunciation of Yukonite
Pronunciation:
| Play | Recorded by | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Jolyon Ralph | United Kingdom |
Physical Properties of Yukonite
Resinous, Waxy
Transparency:
Translucent, Opaque
Colour:
Red-brown, dark brown, nearly black, dark purple
Streak:
Brown
Hardness:
2 - 3 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Conchoidal, Sub-Conchoidal
Density:
2.65 g/cm3 (Measured)
Comment:
Original material absorbed water rapidly and increased in specific gravity over time.
Optical Data of Yukonite
Type:
Isotropic
Pleochroism:
Non-pleochroic
Chemistry of Yukonite
Mindat Formula:
Ca3Fe3+(AsO4)2(OH)3 · 5H2O
Element Weights:
Crystallography of Yukonite
Crystal System:
Orthorhombic
Class (H-M):
mm2 - Pyramidal
Cell Parameters:
a = 19.6 Å
Unit Cell V:
0.00 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Occurs in pitchy to waxy masses or earthy coatings on fractures in rock. TEM shows crude 5 nm platy shapes with {001}, {100}, and small {110}.
Comment:
Poorly crystalline and frequently amorphous to X-rays. "a orth = √3a hex = 19.6 Å". Also pseudohexagonal: d(100) = 9.8 Å, ahex =11.3 Å (Nishikawa et al., 2006).
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 14.1 Å | (100) |
| 5.58 Å | (37) |
| 3.25 Å | (57) |
| 2.79 Å | (60) |
| 2.61 Å | (20) |
| 2.33 Å | (3) |
| 2.24 Å | (11) |
| 2.14 Å | (3) |
| 1.76 Å | (9) |
| 1.63 Å | (20) |
| 1.51 Å | (6) |
Comments:
XRD pattern richer in lines are also known (U. Kolitsch, unpublished data). Dunn (1982) gave a similar set of d values.
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals] | |
| 47d : [Arsenates, antimonates, selenates, bismuthinates] |
Geological Setting:
Commonly found as an oxidation product in tailings from arsenic rich deposits.
Type Occurrence of Yukonite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Black bright pitchy lumps with deep yellow to brown internal reflections. The lumps of yukonite decrepitated from the heat of handling or when submersed in water due to escape and expansion of enclosed carbon dioxide.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1916,454.
Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 18594.
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, M11468.
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, R5783.
Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 18594.
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada, M11468.
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, R5783.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Quartz-sulfide ore veins.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Yukonite
Varieties of Yukonite
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 13 photos of Yukonite associated with Arsenocrandallite | CaAl3(AsO4)(AsO3OH)(OH)6 |
| 10 photos of Yukonite associated with Conichalcite | CaCu(AsO4)(OH) |
| 9 photos of Yukonite associated with Bariopharmacosiderite | Ba0.5Fe3+4(AsO4)3(OH)4 · 5H2O |
| 8 photos of Yukonite associated with Arseniosiderite | Ca2Fe3+3(AsO4)3O2 · 3H2O |
| 7 photos of Yukonite associated with Pharmacosiderite | KFe3+4(AsO4)3(OH)4 · 6-7H2O |
| 5 photos of Yukonite associated with Franklinite | Zn2+Fe3+2O4 |
| 5 photos of Yukonite associated with Calcite | CaCO3 |
| 5 photos of Yukonite associated with Lavendulan | NaCaCu5(AsO4)4Cl · 5H2O |
| 5 photos of Yukonite associated with Olivenite | Cu2(AsO4)(OH) |
| 5 photos of Yukonite associated with Karibibite | Fe3+3(As3+O2)4(As3+2O5)(OH) |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 8.DM. | Tomsquarryite | NaMgAl3(PO4)2(OH)6 · 8H2O |
| 8.DM. | Elliottite | NaMgAl3(PO4)2F6 · 9H2O |
| 8.DM. | Betpakdalite-FeFe | [Fe3+2 (H2O)15(OH)2Fe3+(H2O)6][Mo8As2Fe3+3O37] |
| 8.DM. | Penriceite | [Mg(H2O)6][Na(H2O)2Al3(PO4)2F6] · H2O |
| 8.DM. | Betpakdalite-CaMg | [Ca2(H2O)17Mg(H2O)6][Mo8As2Fe3+3O36(OH)] |
| 8.DM. | Chinnerite | [Mg(H2O)6]Na(H2O)2Al3(PO4)2F6 |
| 8.DM. | Sarrochite | [Ca4(H2O)38][Mo8P2Fe3+3O37(OH)] |
| 8.DM.05 | Esperanzaite | NaCa2Al2(AsO4)2(OH)F4 · 2H2O |
| 8.DM.05 | Morinite | NaCa2Al2(PO4)2(OH)F4 · 2H2O |
| 8.DM.10 | Alexshubnikovite | Ca2Cu9(AsO4)4(OH)9Cl(H2O)8 · 2H2O |
| 8.DM.10 | Tangdanite | Ca2Cu9(AsO4)4(SO4)0.5(OH)9 · 9H2O |
| 8.DM.10 | Tyrolite | Ca2Cu9(AsO4)4(CO3)(OH)8 · 11H2O |
| 8.DM.15 | Melkovite | [Ca2(H2O)15Ca(H2O)6][Mo8P2Fe3+3O36(OH)] |
| 8.DM.15 | Betpakdalite-NaCa | [Na2(H2O)17Ca(H2O)6][Mo6+8As5+2Fe3+3O34(OH)3] |
| 8.DM.15 | Betpakdalite-CaCa | [Ca2(H2O)17Ca(H2O)6][Mo6+8As5+2Fe3+3O36(OH)] |
| 8.DM.20 | Phosphovanadylite-Ba | Ba[V4+4P2O8(OH)8] · 12H2O |
| 8.DM.20 | Phosphovanadylite-Ca | Ca[V4+4P2O12(OH)4] · 12H2O |
| 8.DM.30 | Uduminelite | Ca3Al8(PO4)2O12 · 2H2O |
| 8.DM.35 | Aldermanite | [Mg(H2O)6][Na(H2O)2Al3(PO4)2(OH,F)6] · H2O |
| 8.DM.35 | 'Azovskite' | Fe3+3(PO4)(OH)6 or near |
| 8.DM.35 | Delvauxite | CaFe4(PO4,SO4)2(OH)8 · 4-6H2O not confirmed |
| 8.DM.40 | Santafeite | (Na,Ca,Sr)12(Mn2+,Fe3+,Al,Mg)8Mn4+8(VO4)16(OH,O)20 · 8H2O |
| 8.DM.55 | Tapiaite | Ca5Al2(AsO4)4(OH)4 · 12H2O |
| 8.DM.60 | Alcantarillaite | [Fe3+0.5(H2O)4][CaAs3+2(Fe3+2.5W6+0.5)(AsO4)2O7] |
Fluorescence of Yukonite
Not fluorescent in UV
Other Information
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 Yukonite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-4377.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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External Links:
Mineral Dealers:
References for Yukonite
Reference List:
Dunn, Pete J. (1982) New data for pitticite and a second occurrence of yukonite at Sterling Hill, New Jersey. Mineralogical Magazine, 46 (339) 261-264 doi:10.1180/minmag.1982.046.339.14
Ross, Daphne R.; Post, Jeffrey E. (1997) New data on yukonite. Powder Diffraction, 12 (2). 113-116 doi:10.1017/s0885715600009556
Jambor, John L., Grew, Edward S., Roberts, Andrew C. (1998) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 83 (1) 185-189
Pieczka, Adam; Gołębiowska, Bożena; Franus, Wοjciech (1998) Yukonite, a rare Ca-Fe arsenate, from Rędziny (Sudetes, Poland). European Journal of Mineralogy, 10 (6). 1367-1370 doi:10.1127/ejm/10/6/1367
Nishikawa, O., Okrugin, V., Belkova, N., Saji, I., Shiraki, K., Tazaki, K. (2006) Crystal symmetry and chemical composition of yukonite: TEM study of specimens collected from Nalychevskie hot springs, Kamchatka, Russia and from Venus Mine, Yukon Territory, Canada. Mineralogical Magazine, 70 (1) 73-81 doi:10.1180/0026461067010314
Garavelli, A.; Pinto, D.; Vurro, F.; Mellini, M.; Viti, C.; Balic-Zunic, T.; Ventura, G. D. (2009) Yukonite from “Grotta del Monaca” cave, Sant'Agata di Esaro, Italy: characterization and comparison with cotype material from Daulton mine, Yukon, Canada. The Canadian Mineralogist, 47 (1). 39-51 doi:10.3749/canmin.47.1.39
Gomez, M.A., Becze, L., Blyth, R.I.R., Cutler, J.N., Demopoulos, G.P. (2010) Molecular and structural investigation of yukonite (synthetic & natural) and its relation to arseniosiderite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 74 (20) 5835-5851 doi:10.1016/j.gca.2010.07.023
Paktunc, Dogan, Majzlan, Juraj, Huang, Artis, Thibault, Yves, Johnson, Michel B., White, Mary Anne (2015) Synthesis, characterization, and thermodynamics of arsenates forming in the Ca-Fe(III)-As(V)-NO3system: Implications for the stability of Ca-Fe arsenates. American Mineralogist, 100 (8) 1803-1820 doi:10.2138/am-2015-5199
Localities for Yukonite
Showing 47 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.
Argentina | |
| Sillitoe et al. (2023) |
| Las Especies Minerales de La Republica ... |
| Ronald G. Simpson (2017) +1 other reference |
Austria | |
| Schnorrer et al. (2002) |
Canada | |
| Jamieson (2014) |
| Walker et al. (2009) |
| Walker et al. (2009) |
| Walker et al. (2009) | |
| Tyrell et al. (1913) +2 other references |
| Sabina (1992) +2 other references | |
Germany | |
| Schnorrer-Köhler (1991) +1 other reference |
| Walenta (1992) |
| Walenta (1996) |
| Walenta (1998) | |
| Lorenz (2004) |
| Hensel (2024) |
| Meisl (1985) |
| Hentschel (1993) |
| Wittern (2001) |
Greece | |
| Rieck et al. (2018) |
| Rieck et al. (2018) | |
Iran | |
| Khorasanipour et al. (2015) |
Italy | |
| Garavelli et al. (2009) |
Japan | |
| ENJU et al. (2015) |
Morocco | |
| [var: Chromium-bearing Yukonite] Meisser et al. (2006) |
Norway | |
| Nilsen (2000) |
| Raade (1993) |
| Husdal (2023) |
| Larsen (2013) |
Poland | |
| Domań +4 other references |
Russia | |
| Nishikawa et al. (2006) |
| Azarian et al. (2021) |
South Korea | |
| Lee et al. (2010) |
Spain | |
| Queneau (n.d.) |
| Calvo Rebollar (2018) |
| MinRec-2003-0708-315 |
| Calvo (2015) |
Switzerland | |
| Majzlan et al. (2016) |
| Ansermet et al. (2024) |
| Crumbach M. et al. (2014) |
| Ansermet (2012) |
USA | |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| Smith et al. (2013) |
| Marco Ciriotti collection (analysed only by SEM-EDS, 2005) |
| Dunn (1982) +1 other reference |
Uzbekistan | |
| Ishbobaev et al. (2023) |
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Dolomitic marble quarry, Rędziny, Gmina Kamienna Góra, Kamienna Góra County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland