Abstract
Leightonite, hydrous Cu, K, Ca sulfate, found only at the Chuquicamata mine, Atacama province, Chile, was originally described by Palache in 1938 as triclinic. It is a pale blue-green translucent mineral, occurring in crystals and, more commonly, as cross-fiber veinlets. Study of a specimen in the Royal Ontario Museum shows that leightonite is orthorhombic, a = 11.67, b = 16.52, c = 7.492 A, a:b:c = 0.7064:1:0.4535. Space group is Fmmm; unit-cell content 4[K 2 C 2 Cu(SO 4 ) 4 .2H 2 O]. Gypsum, quartz, atacamite, bloedite, and natrochalcite occur associated with leightonite. Polyhalite, K 2 Ca 2 Mg(SO 4 ) 4 .2H 2 O, is a chemical homologue, but is triclinic.
This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access.
You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.