Nickelblödite

Nickelblödite
A crust of greenish nickelblödite on gossan; obtained from dealer at the Minerant (mineral show of the MKA) 2016
General
Category	Sulfate mineral
Formula (repeating unit)	Na2Ni(SO4)2·4H2O
IMA symbol	Nblö[1]
Strunz classification	7.CC.50
Dana classification	29.3.3.2
Crystal system	Monoclinic
Crystal class	Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol)
Space group	P21/a
Unit cell	a = 10.87, b = 8.07 c = 5.46 [Å]; β = 100.43°; Z = 2
Identification
Color	Pale yellowish-green to pale green
Crystal habit	Flat crystallites
Diaphaneity	Translucent
Specific gravity	2.43 (calculated)
Optical properties	Biaxal (-)
Refractive index	nα=1.50-1.51, nβ=1.51-1.52, nγ=1.51-1.52 (approximated)
Common impurities	Mg, Fe
References	[2][3][4]

Nickelblödite is a rare nickel sulfate mineral with the formula Na₂Ni(SO₄)₂·4H₂O.^[2][4] Nickelblödite was discovered in nickel mines in Carr Boyd Rocks and Kambalda, Western Australia.^[2] The mineral is a nickel-analogue of blödite, changoite, cobaltoblödite and manganoblödite - other representatives of the blödite group.^[4]

Nickelblödite contains small admixtures of magnesium and iron.^[3]

Minerals associating with nickelblödite include violarite, morenosite, halite, pyrite, and siderite.^[3]

References

1. Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
2. Nickel, E.W., and Bridge, P.J., 1977. Nickelblödite, Na₂Ni(SO₄)₂·4H₂O, a new mineral from Western Australia. Mineralogical Magazine 41, 37-41
3. "Nickelblödite - Handbook of Mineralogy" (PDF). Handbookofmineralogy.org. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
4. "Nickelblödite: Nickelblödite mineral information and data". Mindat.org. Retrieved 2016-03-11.