Botryogen
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Botryogen
Formula:
MgFe3+(SO4)2(OH) · 7H2O
Colour:
Light to dark orange-red; pale to dark orange
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
2 - 2½
Specific Gravity:
2.14
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Name:
From the Greek βότρυς = "bunch of grapes" and γεννάν = "to bear", in allusion to the appearance of the original botryoidal and stalactitic masses found at Falun, Sweden.
Type Locality:
Chemically similar to magnesiocopiapite, mountkeithite, and slavíkite.
Crystal structure details (Majzlan et al., 2016): (1) 2 Fe sites; (2) Fe(SO4)2(OH)(H2O)2 chains cross-linked by Mgϕ6 polyhedra (ϕ - unspecified ligand); (3) three transformer water groups with [3]O and two non-transformer with [4]O.
Crystal structure details (Majzlan et al., 2016): (1) 2 Fe sites; (2) Fe(SO4)2(OH)(H2O)2 chains cross-linked by Mgϕ6 polyhedra (ϕ - unspecified ligand); (3) three transformer water groups with [3]O and two non-transformer with [4]O.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
733
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:733:7
IMA Classification of Botryogen
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
MgFe3+(S6+O4)2(OH)·7H2O
Classification of Botryogen
7.DC.25
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
C : With only medium-sized cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H2O
C : With only medium-sized cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra
31.9.6.1
31 : HYDRATED SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
9 : (AB)(XO4)Zq·xH2O
31 : HYDRATED SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
9 : (AB)(XO4)Zq·xH2O
25.11.19
25 : Sulphates
11 : Sulphates of Fe and other metals
25 : Sulphates
11 : Sulphates of Fe and other metals
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Byg | 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 Botryogen
Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Light to dark orange-red; pale to dark orange
Streak:
Ocher-yellow
Hardness:
2 - 2½ on Mohs scale
Tenacity:
Brittle
Cleavage:
Perfect
On {010}, perfect; on {110}, good.
On {010}, perfect; on {110}, good.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Conchoidal
Density:
2.14 g/cm3 (Measured) 2.23 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Optical Data of Botryogen
Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.522 nβ = 1.529 nγ = 1.577
2V:
Measured: 41° , Calculated: 44°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.055
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:
None to Very Low
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.
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.
Dispersion:
none
Optical Extinction:
X = b; Z ∧ c = 12°.
Pleochroism:
Visible
Comments:
X = Colourless to light brown; Y = Cinnamon-brown; Z = Golden yellow
Chemistry of Botryogen
Mindat Formula:
MgFe3+(SO4)2(OH) · 7H2O
Element Weights:
Common Impurities:
Zn,Mn
Crystallography of Botryogen
Crystal System:
Monoclinic
Class (H-M):
2/m - Prismatic
Cell Parameters:
a = 10.49(2) Å, b = 17.84(1) Å, c = 7.12(2) Å
β = 100.16(17)°
β = 100.16(17)°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.588 : 1 : 0.399
Unit Cell V:
1,311.55 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Crystals prismatic [001]; smaller crystals commonly long prismatic; large crystals short prismatic with {101} large and often striated [100]. The vertical zone is striated [001]. Reniform, botryoidal, or globular aggregates with a radiating structure and crystalline surfaces.
Comment:
Space group setting is P21/n
Crystal Structure
Load
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
2x2x2 | 3x3x3 | 4x4x4
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Big Balls | Small Balls | Just Balls | Spacefill
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CIF File Best | x | y | z | a | b | c
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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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0014694 | Botryogen | Suesse P (1967) Die kristallstruktur des botryogens Naturwissenschaften 54 139-139 | 1967 | Quetena, Chile | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
| d-spacing | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 8.87 Å | (FFF) |
| 2.998 Å | (F) |
| 6.29 Å | (mF) |
| 5.11 Å | (mF) |
| 5.47 Å | (f) |
| 3.86 Å | (f) |
| 3.41 Å | (f) |
Comments:
Quetena, Chile. Data from Cesbron (1964).
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
| Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
|---|---|
| Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event | <2.4 |
| 47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals] | |
| 47b : [Sulfates and sulfites] |
Type Occurrence of Botryogen
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom, number BM 1956,315 (holotype).
Natural History Museum, Wien, Austria, number A.a.185 (type?).
Natural History Museum, Wien, Austria, number A.a.185 (type?).
Synonyms of Botryogen
Other Language Names for Botryogen
French:Fer sulfaté rouge
Neoplase
Neoplase
Italian:Botriogeno
Japanese:ボトリオゲン
Russian:Ботриоген
Simplified Chinese:赤铁矾
Swedish:Röd Vitriol
Common Associates
Associations Based on Photo Data:
| 53 photos of Botryogen associated with Copiapite | Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2 · 20H2O |
| 38 photos of Botryogen associated with Halotrichite | Fe2+Al2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 18 photos of Botryogen associated with Parabutlerite | Fe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O |
| 11 photos of Botryogen associated with Chalcanthite | CuSO4 · 5H2O |
| 10 photos of Botryogen associated with Pickeringite | MgAl2(SO4)4 · 22H2O |
| 7 photos of Botryogen associated with Epsomite | MgSO4 · 7H2O |
| 7 photos of Botryogen associated with Natrojarosite | NaFe3(SO4)2(OH)6 |
| 7 photos of Botryogen associated with Metahohmannite | Fe3+2(SO4)2O · 4H2O |
| 6 photos of Botryogen associated with Butlerite | Fe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O |
| 5 photos of Botryogen associated with 'Halotrichite-Pickeringite Series' |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
| 7.DC.05 | Meta-aluminite | Al2(SO4)(OH)4 · 5H2O |
| 7.DC.05 | Aluminite | Al2(SO4)(OH)4 · 7H2O |
| 7.DC.10 | Parabutlerite | Fe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O |
| 7.DC.10 | Butlerite | Fe3+(SO4)(OH) · 2H2O |
| 7.DC.15 | Fibroferrite | Fe3+(SO4)(OH) · 5H2O |
| 7.DC.20 | Xitieshanite | Fe3+(SO4)Cl · 6H2O |
| 7.DC.25 | Zincobotryogen | (Zn,Mg,Mn2+)Fe3+(SO4)2(OH) · 7H2O |
| 7.DC.30 | Chaidamuite | ZnFe3+(SO4)2(OH) · 4H2O |
| 7.DC.30 | Guildite | CuFe3+(SO4)2(OH) · 4H2O |
| 7.DC.40 | Pauladamsite | Cu4(SeO3)(SO4)(OH)4 · 2H2O |
| 7.DC.45 | Riotintoite | Al(SO4)(OH) · 3H2O |
| 7.DC.50 | Thorneite | Pb6(Te6+2O10)(CO3)Cl2(H2O) |
| 7.DC.55 | Vendidaite | Al2(SO4)(OH)3Cl · 6H2O |
Other Information
Notes:
Partially soluble in boiling water, rendering an ocherous residue. Soluble in HCl.
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 Botryogen
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-733.html
Please feel free to link to this page.
Please feel free to link to this page.
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External Links:
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References for Botryogen
Reference List:
Beudant, François-Sulpice (1832) Traité élémentaire de minéralogie. Deuxiéme Edition [Elementary Treatise on Mineralogy. Second Edition] (2nd ed.) Vol. 2 - Tome II [Volume II]. Chez Verdière. p.483 - as Neoplase
Bandy, Mark C. (1938) Mineralogy of three sulphate deposits of northern Chile. American Mineralogist, 23 (11) 669-760 p.749 - [as Kubeite]
Cesbron, Fabien (1964) Contribution à la Minéralogie des sulfates de fer hydratés. Bulletin de Minéralogie, 87 (2) 125-143 doi:10.3406/bulmi.1964.5721
Süsse, P. (1967) Die Kristallstruktur des Botryogens. Die Naturwissenschaften, 54 (6) 139 doi:10.1007/bf00625106
Süsse, P. (1968) Die Kristallstruktur des Botryogens. Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry, 24 (6) 760-767 doi:10.1107/s0567740868003171
Frost, Ray L.; Palmer, Sara J.; Čejka, Jiří; Sejkora, Jiří; Plášil, Jakub; Jebavá, Ivana; Keeffe, Eloise C. (2010) A Raman spectroscopic study of M2+M3+ sulfate minerals, römerite Fe2+Fe23+ (SO4)4· 14H2O and botryogen Mg2+Fe3+ (SO4)2(OH)·7H2O. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 42 (4). 825-830 doi:10.1002/jrs.2782
Anthony, John W., Bideaux, Richard A., Bladh, Kenneth W., Nichols, Monte C. - Eds. (2016) Handbook of Mineralogy. https://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/
Majzlan, Juraj, Plášil, Jakub, Dachs, Edgar, Benisek, Artur, Bender Koch, Christian (2016) Crystal chemistry, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and thermodynamic properties of botryogen. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie - Abhandlungen Journal of Mineralogy and Geochemistry, 193 (2) 147-159 doi:10.1127/njma/2016/0299
Localities for Botryogen
Showing 61 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 | |
| Palache et al. (1951) |
Australia | |
| Sielecki (1988) |
| Sielecki (1988) | |
| Costas Constantinides collection | |
Austria | |
| Niedermayr et al. (2000) |
| Exel (1993) |
Brazil | |
| ATENCIO +2 other references |
Chile | |
| SEM-EDS by Igor V. Pekov |
| Kampf +5 other references |
| Rob Lavinky samples +1 other reference | |
| Palache et al. (1951) +1 other reference |
| Palache et al. (1951) +1 other reference |
| Palache et al. (1951) |
| Kampf et al. (2013) |
| Kampf et al. (2013) | |
| Peter G. Seroka collection |
China | |
| Bingbin Yang (1979) |
| Bingbin Yang (1979) | |
| Qingtong Ye (1983) |
France | |
| Palache et al. (1951) |
Germany | |
| Palache et al. (1951) +1 other reference |
| Witzke et al. (1998) |
Greece | |
| Rieck et al. (2022) |
| Rieck (n.d.) |
Hungary | |
| Szakáll et al. (1997) |
| Own found |
| Geoda - Journal of the Hungarian ... |
Iran | |
| Palache et al. (1951) |
Italy | |
| Mineralogical Society of America - ... +1 other reference |
| Girolami (2006) |
| Brizzi G. et al. (GR) |
| PXRD by Roegner |
| G. D'Achiardi (picroallumogene) |
Japan | |
| Minakawa and Noto (1994) |
Jordan | |
| Dill et al. (2009) |
New Zealand | |
| Campbell (1881) |
Pakistan | |
| Niazi (2023) |
Peru | |
| Atchley (1956) |
Slovakia | |
| Duda |
| Koděra (1990) | |
Spain | |
| Georges FAVREAU collection & EDX ... |
| Sainz de Baranda Graf et al. (2025) +1 other reference |
| Calvo et al. (1999) |
Sweden | |
| |
| Ann. Phys. Chem. (Pogg.) +2 other references |
Ukraine | |
| Dobrovolskaya T.I. (2004) |
USA | |
| Anthony et al. (1995) |
| azminerals.com | |
| |
| Hasenmueller et al. (2005, March) |
| Cooper et al. (1989) |
| Palache et al. (1951) +2 other references |
| Eakle (1903a) +4 other references |
| part 2 +4 other references |
| Castor et al. (2004) |
| King (n.d.) |
| Ernest H. Carlson. Jerret Whitford. ... | |
| gsa.confex.com (2002) |
| Carlson (2015) |
| Palache et al. (1951) |
| Coskren et al. (2000) +1 other reference |
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Alfredo pit, Rio Tinto Mines, Minas de Riotinto, Huelva, Andalusia, Spain