Zhenruite
A valid IMA mineral species
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About Zhenruite
Formula:
(MoO3)2 · H2O
Colour:
colorless
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
1½ - 2
Specific Gravity:
4.081 (Calculated)
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
Named after Prof. Zhenru Zhang (张振儒, 1930-2002) from Department of Geology, Central South Institute of Mines and Metallurgy (now Central South University) Changsha, Hunan, China.
Known synthetic analogue.
Lower-hydrate counterpart of raydemarkite (monohydrate) and sidwillite (dihydrate). Hydrated counterpart of molybdite. Also chemically similar to ilsemannite.
Lower-hydrate counterpart of raydemarkite (monohydrate) and sidwillite (dihydrate). Hydrated counterpart of molybdite. Also chemically similar to ilsemannite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
470404
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:470404:7
IMA Classification of Zhenruite
Approved
Approval year:
2022
Classification of Zhenruite
4.CB.
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
C : Metal: Oxygen = 2: 3,3: 5, and similar
B : With medium-sized cations
4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
C : Metal: Oxygen = 2: 3,3: 5, and similar
B : With medium-sized cations
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Zhr | 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 Zhenruite
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent
Colour:
Colorless
Streak:
White
Hardness:
1½ - 2 on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
perfect on {001}
perfect on {001}
Density:
4.081 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Chemistry of Zhenruite
Mindat Formula:
(MoO3)2 · H2O
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Zhenruite
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Space Group:
P21/m
Setting:
P21/m
Cell Parameters:
a = 9.6790(6) Å, b = 3.7065(2) Å, c = 7.1029(4) Å
β = 102.391(5)°
β = 102.391(5)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 2.611 : 1 : 1.916
Unit Cell V:
248.88 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
2
Twinning:
none
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 6.93 Å | (68) |
| 4.73 Å | (47) |
| 3.565 Å | (24) |
| 3.183 Å | (100) |
| 3.139 Å | (43) |
| 3.003 Å | (31) |
| 2.281 Å | (20) |
| 2.107 Å | (20) |
Reference:
Comments:
From Type Description.
Type Occurrence of Zhenruite
General Appearance of Type Material:
acicular or prismatic crystals (up to 0.06 x 0.01 x 0.01 mm).
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Type material is deposited in the collections of the University of Arizona Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum, 15 N Church Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701, USA, catalogue no. 22720(holotype), and the RRUFF Project, deposition no. R220010(cotype)
Geological Setting of Type Material:
The Marysvale U-Mo deposit was formed in an epithermal vein system hosted in a volcanic/hypabyssal complex composed of porphyritic quartz monzonite, fine-grained granite, and glassy alkali rhyolite dated between 23 and 18 Ma (Brophy and Kerr, 1953; Cunningham et al., 1998). The samples containing zhenruite are the weathered product of the primary molybdenum ores exposed on the surface of the mine.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Synonyms of Zhenruite
Other Language Names for Zhenruite
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 3 photos of Zhenruite associated with Alunogen | Al2(SO4)3 · 17H2O |
| 3 photos of Zhenruite associated with Molybdenite | MoS2 |
| 3 photos of Zhenruite associated with Jordisite | MoS2 |
| 1 photo of Zhenruite associated with Ilsemannite | Mo3O8 · nH2O |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 4.CB. | Magnesiohögbomite-6N12S | Mg5Al11TiO23(OH) |
| 4.CB. | Kidodite | BaMg2Fe16O27 |
| 4.CB. | Ferrohögbomite-2N2S | [(Fe2+,Mg,Zn,Al)3(Al,Ti,Fe3+)8O15(OH)]2 |
| 4.CB. | Fuyuanite | Mg7Nb6O18(OH)8 |
| 4.CB. | Virgilluethite | MoO3 · H2O |
| 4.CB. | Pengite | (Pb8Sb3+3)Σ11Sb5+9O35 |
| 4.CB.05 | Brizziite | NaSb5+O3 |
| 4.CB.05 | Tistarite | Ti3+2O3 |
| 4.CB.05 | Hematite | Fe2O3 |
| 4.CB.05 | Ecandrewsite | ZnTiO3 |
| 4.CB.05 | Melanostibite | Mn2+2Fe3+Sb5+O6 |
| 4.CB.05 | 'UM1998-11-O-AuHSb' | Au+2Sb3+O2(OH) |
| 4.CB.05 | Karelianite | V3+2O3 |
| 4.CB.05 | Corundum | Al2O3 |
| 4.CB.05 | Eskolaite | Cr2O3 |
| 4.CB.05 | Geikielite | MgTiO3 |
| 4.CB.05 | Akimotoite | MgSiO3 |
| 4.CB.05 | 'Unnamed (Fe-Cr Oxide)' | FeCrO3 |
| 4.CB.05 | 'Auroantimonate' | AuSbO3 |
| 4.CB.05 | Hemleyite | Fe2+SiO3 |
| 4.CB.05 | Ilmenite | Fe2+TiO3 |
| 4.CB.05 | Pyrophanite | Mn2+TiO3 |
| 4.CB.10 | Bixbyite-(Fe) | (Fe,Mn)2O3 |
| 4.CB.10 | Bixbyite-(Mn) | Mn3+2O3 |
| 4.CB.10 | Avicennite | Tl2O3 |
| 4.CB.15 | Armalcolite | MgTi4+2O5 |
| 4.CB.15 | Ferropseudobrookite | Fe2+Ti4+2O5 |
| 4.CB.15 | Griffinite | Al2Ti4+O5 |
| 4.CB.15 | Pseudobrookite Group | |
| 4.CB.15 | Sassite | Ti3+2Ti4+O5 |
| 4.CB.15 | Pseudobrookite | Fe3+2Ti4+O5 |
| 4.CB.20 | Zincovelesite-6N6S | Zn3(Fe3+,Mn3+,Al,Ti)8O15(OH) |
| 4.CB.20 | Magnesiohögbomite-2N4S | (Mg8.43Fe2+1.57)Σ=10Al22Ti4+2O46(OH)2 |
| 4.CB.20 | Magnesiobeltrandoite-2N3S | (Mg6Al2)(Al18Fe3+2)O38(OH)2 |
| 4.CB.20 | Zincohögbomite-2N6S | [(Zn,Mg)7(Al,Fe3+,Ti)16O31(OH)]2 |
| 4.CB.20 | Magnesiohögbomite-6N6S | [(Mg,Fe2+)3(Al,Ti,Fe3+)8O15(OH)]6 |
| 4.CB.20 | Magnesiohögbomite-2N3S | [(Mg,Fe2+,Zn)4(Al,Ti,Fe3+)10O19(OH)]2 |
| 4.CB.20 | Magnesiohögbomite-2N2S | [(Mg,Fe2+)3[Al7(Ti,Fe3+)]O15(OH)]2 |
| 4.CB.20 | 'Ferrohögbomite-6N12S' | [(Fe2+,Mg,Zn)5(Al,Ti,Fe3+)12O23(OH)]6 |
| 4.CB.20 | Zincohögbomite-2N2S | [(Zn,Al,Fe2+)3(Al,Fe3+,Ti)8O15(OH)]2 |
| 4.CB.25 | Kleberite | FeTi6O11(OH)5 |
| 4.CB.25 | Pseudorutile | Fe3+2Ti4+3O9 |
| 4.CB.30 | Oxyvanite | V3+2V4+O5 |
| 4.CB.30 | Berdesinskiite | V3+2TiO5 |
| 4.CB.30 | Kaitianite | Ti3+2Ti4+O5 |
| 4.CB.35 | Machiite | Al2Ti3O9 |
| 4.CB.35 | Vestaite | (Ti4+Fe2+)Ti4+3O9 |
| 4.CB.35 | Olkhonskite | (Cr,V)2Ti3O9 |
| 4.CB.35 | Schreyerite | V3+2Ti4+3O9 |
| 4.CB.40 | Zincorinmanite-(Zn) | Zn2Sb2(Fe3+4Zn2)O14(OH)2 |
| 4.CB.40 | Majindeite | Mg2Mo3O8 |
| 4.CB.40 | Almagreraite | CuZnMn4+3O8 |
| 4.CB.40 | Kamiokite | Fe2Mo3O8 |
| 4.CB.40 | Nolanite | V3+8Fe3+2O14(OH)2 |
| 4.CB.40 | Iseite | Mn2Mo3O8 |
| 4.CB.40 | Rinmanite | Zn2Sb2Mg2Fe4O14(OH)2 |
| 4.CB.45 | Stibioclaudetite | AsSbO3 |
| 4.CB.45 | Claudetite | As2O3 |
| 4.CB.50 | Senarmontite | Sb2O3 |
| 4.CB.50 | Arsenolite | As2O3 |
| 4.CB.55 | Valentinite | Sb2O3 |
| 4.CB.60 | Bismite | Bi2O3 |
| 4.CB.65 | Sphaerobismoite | Bi2O3 |
| 4.CB.70 | Sillénite | Bi12SiO20 |
| 4.CB.75 | Kyzylkumite | V3+Ti2O5(OH) |
| 4.CB.80 | 'Tietaiyangite' | Fe3+4Fe2+TiO9 |
| 4.CB.85 | Liuite | FeTiO3 |
| 4.CB.90 | Luogufengite | Fe2O3 |
| 4.CB.95 | Wangdaodeite | FeTiO3 |
Other Information
Notes:
At room temperature is not soluble in water or hydrochloric acid.
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 Zhenruite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-470404.html
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References for Zhenruite
Reference List:
Bénard, P., Seguin, L., Louër, D., Figlarz, M. (1994) Structure of MoO3 · 1/2H2O by Conventional X-Ray Powder Diffraction. Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 108. 170-176 doi:10.1006/jssc.1994.1026
Localities for Zhenruite
Showing 3 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.
Czech Republic | |
| Jiří Sejkora (2025) |
USA | |
| In the collection of Alex Earl. Raman ... |
| Miyawaki et al. (2022) +1 other reference |
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Vrchoslav fluorite deposit, Vrchoslav, Krupka, Teplice District, Ústí nad Labem Region, Czech Republic