Mineralpedia Details for Mountkeithite
Mountkeithite
Named for the Mount Keith deposit in Western Australia, Australia which is the type locality for the mineral. At the type locality, Mountkeithite occurs “in a vein in serpentinite in a disseminated nickel sulfide deposit [that was formed by low-temperature alteration of stichtite by sulfate-rich solutions.” This rare mineral occurs only in Australia and at a newer locality in California, USA.
Ref. Handbook of Mineralogy, Anthony et al (1995) and MSA at http://www.handbookofmineralogy.org/pdfs/mountkeithite.pdf
- Formula
- Mg11Fe3+3(SO4)3.5(OH)24ยท11H2O
- Crystal System
- Hexagonal
- Crystal Habit
- Flakes, Granular, Rosette
- Cleavage
- Perfect, None, None
- Luster
- Pearly
- Color
- white, light pink
- Streak
- white
- Class
- Hexagonal
- Hardness
- 2
- WebMineral
- View Mountkeithite
- Mindat
- View Mountkeithite
Mountkeithite from Mount Keith mine, Mt. Keith, Western Austrialia, Australia
Rose pink soft, platy aggregates as grains to 1mm as an alterations in nickel rich Serpentinized matrix associated with excellent micro crystals of Magnetite.
Click thumbnail images for larger view.
