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Cafarsite

A valid IMA mineral species

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Cafarsite

Monte Cervandone area, Devero Alp, Baceno, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy

Cafarsite, etc.

Lärchultini, Binn, Goms, Valais, Switzerland

Cafarsite

Monte Cervandone area, Devero Alp, Baceno, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy

Cafarsite

Monte Cervandone area, Devero Alp, Baceno, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy

Cafarsite, etc.

Lärchultini, Binn, Goms, Valais, Switzerland

Cafarsite

Monte Cervandone area, Devero Alp, Baceno, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy

Cafarsite

Monte Cervandone area, Devero Alp, Baceno, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province, Piedmont, Italy

Cafarsite, etc.

Lärchultini, Binn, Goms, Valais, Switzerland

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About CafarsiteHide

Formula:

Ca_5.9Mn_1.7Fe₃Ti₃(AsO₃)₁₂ · 4-5H₂O

Chemical formula soon to be changed to either Ca₁₆(Na,Fe²⁺,REE)(Ti,Fe³⁺,Fe²⁺,Mn²⁺,Al)₁₆(AsO₃)₂₈F or Ca₁₆(Na,Fe²⁺,REE)(Ti,Fe³⁺,Al)₁₂(Fe²⁺,Mn)₄(AsO₃)₂₈F. Fluorine is essential.

Colour:

Dark brown

Hardness:

5½ - 6

Specific Gravity:

3.9

Crystal System:

Isometric

Name:

For the elements in its composition: Ca, Fe, As.

Type Locality:

ⓘ Wanni glacier - Scherbadung area (Monte Cervandone), Binn, Goms, Valais, Switzerland

This page provides mineralogical data about Cafarsite.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

849

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:849:7

IMA Classification of CafarsiteHide

IMA status:

Approved

IMA Formula:

(Ca,Na,◻)₁₉Ti⁴⁺₈Fe³⁺₄Fe²⁺₄(As³⁺O₃)₂₈F

Approval year:

1965

Type description reference:

Graeser, S. (1966): Asbecasit und Cafarsit, zwei neue Mineralien aus dem Binnatal (Kt. Wallis). Schweizerische Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen 46, 367-375 (in German).

Classification of CafarsiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

4.JC.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
J : Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites; iodates
C : Arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites; without additional anions, with H₂O

Dana 8th ed.:

45.1.4.1

45 : ACID AND NORMAL ANTIMONITES AND ARSENITES
1 : Miscellaneous

Hey's CIM Ref.:

20.5.1

20 : Arsenates (also arsenates with phosphate, but without other anions)
5 : Arsenates of Ti and Pb

Mineral SymbolsHide

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
Caf	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Pronunciation of CafarsiteHide

Pronunciation:

Play	Recorded by	Country
	Jolyon Ralph	United Kingdom

Physical Properties of CafarsiteHide

Transparency:

Opaque

Colour:

Dark brown

Streak:

Yellow-brown

Hardness:

5½ - 6 on Mohs scale

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Density:

3.9 g/cm³ (Measured) 3.5 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of CafarsiteHide

Type:

Isotropic

RI values:

n = 2.2

Surface Relief:

Very High (positive)
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.

Focus:

In focus

Chemistry of CafarsiteHide

Mindat Formula:

Ca_5.9Mn_1.7Fe₃Ti₃(AsO₃)₁₂ · 4-5H₂O

Chemical formula soon to be changed to either Ca₁₆(Na,Fe²⁺,REE)(Ti,Fe³⁺,Fe²⁺,Mn²⁺,Al)₁₆(AsO₃)₂₈F or Ca₁₆(Na,Fe²⁺,REE)(Ti,Fe³⁺,Al)₁₂(Fe²⁺,Mn)₄(AsO₃)₂₈F. Fluorine is essential.

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
As	41.089 %
O	29.248 %
Ca	10.807 %
Fe	7.657 %
Ti	6.563 %
Mn	4.268 %
H	0.369 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

As, Ca, Fe, H, Mn, O, Ti - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of CafarsiteHide

Crystal System:

Isometric

Class (H-M):

m3(2/m3) - Diploidal

Space Group:

Pn3

Cell Parameters:

a = 15.984 Å

Unit Cell V:

4,083.72 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

Cuboctahedra.

Comment:

Space-group Pn-3 (symbol shown above is wrong - Mindat bug).

Crystal StructureHide

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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure

ID	Species	Reference	Year	Locality	Temp (K)
0020740	Cafarsite	Gatta G D, Rotiroti N, Camara F, Meven M (2018) On the labyrinthine world of arsenites: a single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction study of cafarsite province, Italy Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 45 819-829	2018	Mount Leone-Arbola nappe, Alpe Devero area, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola	293
0020739	Cafarsite	Gatta G D, Rotiroti N, Camara F, Meven M (2018) On the labyrinthine world of arsenites: a single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction study of cafarsite province, Italy Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 45 819-829	2018	Mount Leone-Arbola nappe, Alpe Devero area, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola	293
0020738	Cafarsite	Gatta G D, Rotiroti N, Camara F, Meven M (2018) On the labyrinthine world of arsenites: a single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction study of cafarsite province, Italy Physics and Chemistry of Minerals 45 819-829	2018	Mount Leone-Arbola nappe, Alpe Devero area, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola	293
0015405	Cafarsite	Edenharter A, Nowacki W, Weibel M (1977) Zur Struktur und Zusammensetzung von Cafarsit, Cafarsit ein As(III)-oxid, kein Arsenat Schweizerische Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen 57 1-16	1977	synthetic	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Cafarsite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Gatta G D'
'Rotiroti N'
'Camara F'
'Meven M'
_journal_name_full 'Physics and Chemistry of Minerals'
_journal_volume 45 
_journal_year 2018
_journal_page_first 819
_journal_page_last 829
_publ_section_title
;
 On the labyrinthine world of arsenites: a single-crystal neutron and
 X-ray diffraction study of cafarsite
 Note: xraysplit final
 province, Italy
;
_database_code_amcsd 0020740
_chemical_compound_source 'Mount Leone-Arbola nappe, Alpe Devero area, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola'
_chemical_formula_sum 'As28 Ca16 Ti6 Fe7.506 Mn2 O84 F.969'
_cell_length_a 15.9507
_cell_length_b 15.9507
_cell_length_c 15.9507
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 90
_cell_volume 4058.254
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      4.024
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'P n 3'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  '1/2+z,1/2+x,-y'
  '1/2+z,-x,1/2+y'
  '-z,1/2+x,1/2+y'
  '-z,-x,-y'
  'y,1/2-z,1/2-x'
  '1/2-y,1/2-z,x'
  '1/2-y,z,1/2-x'
  'y,z,x'
  '1/2+x,-y,1/2+z'
  '-x,1/2+y,1/2+z'
  '1/2+x,1/2+y,-z'
  '-x,-y,-z'
  '1/2-z,1/2-x,y'
  '1/2-z,x,1/2-y'
  'z,1/2-x,1/2-y'
  'z,x,y'
  '-y,1/2+z,1/2+x'
  '1/2+y,1/2+z,-x'
  '1/2+y,-z,1/2+x'
  '-y,-z,-x'
  '1/2-x,y,1/2-z'
  'x,1/2-y,1/2-z'
  '1/2-x,1/2-y,z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_occupancy
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
As1   0.37639   0.37639   0.37639   1.00000   0.00540
As2   0.22920   0.97784   0.03845   1.00000   0.00447
As3   0.39276   0.64083   0.35164   1.00000   0.00808
Ca1a   0.15270   0.15270   0.15270   0.14500   0.00200
Ca1b   0.16341   0.16341   0.16341   0.85500   0.00200
Ca2   0.09341   0.62516   0.35630   1.01200   0.00639
Ti1a   0.95176   0.75000   0.25000   0.65400   0.00361
Ti1b   0.95176   0.75000   0.25000   0.34600   0.00361
Fe1   0.23980   0.75000   0.75000   0.42900   0.02300
Fe2  -0.00609   0.25000   0.25000   0.82200   0.00224
Mn1a   0.00000   0.00000   0.00000   0.45500   0.00526
Mn1b   0.00000   0.00000   0.00000   0.54500   0.00526
O1  -0.00554   0.98128   0.13705   1.00000   0.00770
O2   0.30975   0.00359   0.35981   1.00000   0.00810
O3   0.28788   0.63307   0.04773   1.00000   0.00830
O4   0.16372   0.73780   0.14561   1.00000   0.00940
O5   0.16440   0.58140   0.21260   0.41800   0.01110
O5*   0.18010   0.60310   0.22880   0.58200   0.01110
O6   0.03252   0.66386   0.22564   1.00000   0.00860
O7   0.16660   0.42530   0.21170   0.52000   0.00760
O7*   0.18050   0.40940   0.21530   0.48000   0.00760
F   0.75000   0.75000   0.75000   0.96900   0.01150
loop_
_atom_site_aniso_label
_atom_site_aniso_U_11
_atom_site_aniso_U_22
_atom_site_aniso_U_33
_atom_site_aniso_U_12
_atom_site_aniso_U_13
_atom_site_aniso_U_23
As1 0.00540 0.00540 0.00540 0.00145 0.00145 0.00145
As2 0.00513 0.00410 0.00417 -0.00093 -0.00037 0.00026
As3 0.01164 0.00578 0.00683 -0.00045 0.00410 0.00076
Ca2 0.00600 0.00700 0.00630 -0.00211 -0.00076 0.00035
Ti1a 0.00280 0.00470 0.00340 0.00000 0.00000 0.00123
Ti1b 0.00280 0.00470 0.00340 0.00000 0.00000 0.00123
Fe1 0.05700 0.00270 0.00900 0.00000 0.00000 -0.00190
Fe2 0.00110 0.00270 0.00300 0.00000 0.00000 -0.00150
Mn1a 0.00530 0.00530 0.00530 0.00148 0.00148 0.00148
Mn1b 0.00530 0.00530 0.00530 0.00148 0.00148 0.00148
O1 0.00910 0.00540 0.00850 0.00340 0.00020 -0.00230
O2 0.01170 0.00950 0.00320 -0.00170 -0.00150 0.00170
O3 0.01100 0.00320 0.01080 0.00130 -0.00160 -0.00090
O4 0.00880 0.00770 0.01180 -0.00010 0.00410 0.00140
O6 0.00750 0.00970 0.00860 0.00270 0.00280 0.00070
F 0.01150 0.01150 0.01150 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
2.827 Å	(100)
2.747 Å	(80)
3.140 Å	(60)
1.6857 Å	(60)
3.675 Å	(50)
1.724 Å	(50)
9.17 Å	(40)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event	<2.4
47d : [Arsenates, antimonates, selenates, bismuthinates]
47g : [Halogen-bearing surface weathering minerals]

Type Occurrence of CafarsiteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Wanni glacier - Scherbadung area (Monte Cervandone), Binn, Goms, Valais, Switzerland

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Natural History Museum, Basel, Switzerland, SG749; The Natural History Museum, London, England, 1966,434.

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Asbecasite

Gasparite-(Ce)

'Synchysite'

Reference:

Graeser, S. (1966): Asbecasit und Cafarsit, zwei neue Mineralien aus dem Binnatal (Kt. Wallis). Schweizerische Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen 46, 367-375 (in German).

Synonyms of CafarsiteHide

Arsenoferrite

IMA1965-036

Other Language Names for CafarsiteHide

Dutch:Cafarsiet

German:Cafarsit

Russian:Кафарсит

Simplified Chinese:砷钛铁钙石

Spanish:Cafarsita

Traditional Chinese:砷鈦鐵鈣石

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:

14 photos of Cafarsite associated with Quartz	SiO₂
13 photos of Cafarsite associated with 'Agardite'
5 photos of Cafarsite associated with Magnetite	Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₂O₄
5 photos of Cafarsite associated with Clinochlore	Mg₅Al(AlSi₃O₁₀)(OH)₈
4 photos of Cafarsite associated with Hematite	Fe₂O₃
4 photos of Cafarsite associated with 'Smoky Quartz'	SiO₂
4 photos of Cafarsite associated with Mixite	BiCu₆(AsO₄)₃(OH)₆ · 3H₂O
4 photos of Cafarsite associated with Albite	Na(AlSi₃O₈)
3 photos of Cafarsite associated with 'Ripidolite'	(Mg,Fe,Al)₆(Si,Al)₄O₁₀(OH)₈
3 photos of Cafarsite associated with Senaite	Pb(Mn,Y,U)(Fe,Zn)₂(Ti,Fe,Cr,V)₁₈(O,OH)₃₈

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

4.JC.10	Lazarenkoite	(Ca,Fe²⁺)Fe³⁺As³⁺₃O₇ · 3H₂O	Orth.
4.JC.15	Rouseite	Pb₂Mn²⁺[AsO₃]₂ · 2H₂O	Tric.
4.JC.20	Vajdakite	[(Mo⁶⁺O₂)₂(H₂O)₂As³⁺₂O₅] · 3H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b

Other InformationHide

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 CafarsiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-849.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

Look for Cafarsite on Webmineral

Look for Cafarsite on Wikipedia

Look for Cafarsite on Mineralien Atlas

Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

Mineral Dealers:

Buy from D. Joyce minerals

References for CafarsiteHide

Reference List:

Baumhauer, H. (1913) Arsenoferrit, ein neues Glied der Pyritgruppe. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, 51 (1-6). 143-145 doi:10.1524/zkri.1913.51.1.143(as Arsenoferrit)

Graeser, S. (1966): Asbecasit und Cafarsit, zwei neue Mineralien aus dem Binnatal (Kt. Wallis). Schweizerische Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen 46, 367-375 (in German).

American Mineralogist: 52 (1967) 1584.

Edenharter, A., Nowacki, W., Weibel, M. (1977): Zur Struktur und Zusammensetzung von Cafarsit, ein As(III)-oxid, kein Arsenat [On the structure and composition of cafarsite, an arsenic(III) oxide, not an arsenate]. Schweizerische Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen 57, 1-16 (in German).

Fleischer, Michael; Pabst, Adolf, White, John Sampson (1978) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 63 (7-8). 793-796 p.795

Kloprogge, J. Theo, Frost, Ray L. (1999) Raman Microscopy Study of Cafarsite. Applied Spectroscopy, 53 (7). 874-880 doi:10.1366/0003702991947478

(2005) Cafarsite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Frost, Ray L., Bahfenne, Silmarilly (2009) Raman spectroscopic study of the arsenite minerals leiteite ZnAs₂O₄, reinerite Zn₃(AsO₃)₂ and cafarsite Ca₅(Ti,Fe,Mn)₇(AsO₃)₁₂·4H₂O. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 41 (3). 325-328 doi:10.1002/jrs.2325

Gatta, G. Diego, Rotiroti, Nicola, Cámara, Fernando, Meven, Martin (2018) On the labyrinthine world of arsenites: a single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction study of cafarsite. Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, 45 (9) 819-829 doi:10.1007/s00269-018-0964-z

Cametti, Georgia, Nagashima, Mariko, Fisch, Martin, Armbruster, Thomas (2018) New data on cafarsite: reinvestigation of its crystal structure and chemical composition. European Journal of Mineralogy, 30 (4) 859-868 doi:10.1127/ejm/2018/0030-2756

Localities for CafarsiteHide

Showing 9 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the

symbol to view information about a locality. The

symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Hide all sections | Show all sections

Locality ListHide

- 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). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.


Canada
Ontario Thunder Bay District Bomby Township ⓘ Hemlo gold deposit	HARRIS (1989)

Italy
Piedmont Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province Baceno Devero Alp ⓘ Monte Cervandone area	Stalder et al. (1978)
ⓘ Pizzo Bandiera	Albertini (1991) +3 other references

Switzerland
Valais Goms Binn ⓘ Gischi glacier (incl. Gischihorn)
ⓘ Lärchultini	Stalder et al. (1978)
ⓘ Gorb	Graeser et al. (1994) +1 other reference
ⓘ Wanni glacier - Scherbadung area (Monte Cervandone) (TL)	Schweiz.Min.Petr.Mitt. (1966) +1 other reference
Östlich Raron Grengiols Chummibort ⓘ Hillehorn northeast slope	Cuchet et al. (2005)
ⓘ Mätti Valley	Krzemnicki (1992)

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Cafarsite

About CafarsiteHide

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of CafarsiteHide

Classification of CafarsiteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Pronunciation of CafarsiteHide

Physical Properties of CafarsiteHide

Optical Data of CafarsiteHide

Chemistry of CafarsiteHide

Crystallography of CafarsiteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of CafarsiteHide

Synonyms of CafarsiteHide

Other Language Names for CafarsiteHide

Common AssociatesHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for CafarsiteHide

References for CafarsiteHide

Localities for CafarsiteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide