Mineralpedia Details for Schaurteite

Named to honor German Cchemist Dr. Werner T. Schaurte of Johannesburg, South Africa. This rare mineral is found only at its type locality at the Tsumeb mine in Namibia as a secondary mineral in the ozidized zone of the dolostone hydrothermal metallic ore deposit found in association with germanite. Interestingly, the holotype specimen is now missing from the Technical University in Berlin, Germany.

Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/schaurteite.pdf

Formula

Ca₃Ge⁴⁺(SO₄)₂(OH)₆·3H₂O 

Crystal System

Hexagonal 

Crystal Habit

Acicular, Fibrous 

Luster

Silky 

Color

silky white 

Streak

white 

Class

Hexagonal - Ditrigonal Dipyramidal 

Hardness

2.5 

WebMineral

View Schaurteite 

Mindat

View Schaurteite 

White, silky, acicular tor felted mass in Germanite matrix.