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First occurrence of the rare mineral slavikite in Spain

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Abstract

The magnesium and iron sulfate mineral slavikite has been found in Pastora Mine, Aliseda, Cáceres, Spain, in association with a number of other sulfate minerals such as alunogen, fibroferrite and tschermigite. Remarkably, slavikite is the major phase on some walls of Pastora Mine. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported occurrence of slavikite in Spain. Here, we present a mineralogical characterisation of the slavikite found in Pastora Mine using X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electron probe micro-analysis and thermogravimetry. This characterisation also includes an analysis of the morphology of slavikite crystals based on the Bravais-Friedel-Donnay-Harker method, and the determination of the following slavikite formula from microprobe analyses and thermogravimetric data: Mg4Fe10(SO4)15(OH)8·13(H2O). Finally, we discuss the possible formation conditions of slavikite in Pastora Mine on the basis of available geological information and water analyses. We hypothesise that the presence of slavikite as major sulfate phase in some sites of Pastora Mine is partially the result of a process of mineral enrichment in which the moderate solubility of slavikite and wet and dry weathering cycles play a major role.

Resumen

El mineral eslavikita, sulfato de hierro y magnesio, se ha encontrado en la Mina Pastora, Aliseda, Cáceres, España, asociado con otros sulfatos como alunógeno, fibroferrita y tschermigita. La eslavikita es la fase más abundante en algunas de las paredes de la Mina Pastora. Hasta donde tenemos conocimiento, ésta es la primera vez que se documenta la presencia de eslavikita en España. En este trabajo se presenta la caracterización mineralógica de la eslavikita encontrada en la Mina Pastora utilizando difracción de rayos X por método de polvo, microscopía electrónica de barrido, espectroscopia de rayos X por energía dispersiva, micro sonda electrónica y análisis termogravimétrico. Esta caracterización incluye también un análisis de la morfología de los cristales de eslavikita, utilizando el método Bravais-Fiedel-Donnay–Harker, y la determinación de la fórmula de la eslavikita a partir de los análisis químicos y termogravimétricos: Mg4Fe10(SO4)15(OH)8·13(H2O). Finalmente, se discuten las posibles condiciones de formación de la eslavikita en la Mina Pastora a partir de los datos geológicos disponibles y de los análisis de aguas locales. El hecho de que la eslavikita sea el sulfato más abundante en algunos lugares de la Mina Pastora indica la actuación de procesos de enriquecimiento mineral en los que la moderada solubilidad de la eslavikita y los ciclos de meteorización secos y húmedos juegan un papel importante.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Spanish Government (MAT2012-38810 and CGL2013-48247-P). AFM and SEM images, and EDX analyses were obtained at the ICTS Centro Nacional de Microscopia Electrónica (UCM). ICP-OES Chemical analyses of AMD waters and slavikite solutions were conducted at CAI of Técnicas Geológicas (UCM). Authors would like to thank Belén Soutullo for collecting X-ray diffractograms. Carlos Pimentel is grateful to the Spanish Government for a FPU Fellowship. Ángel Crespo sincerely thanks José Ángel López and Roberto Oyarzun for initiating him into the research in Mineralogy. This paper has been greatly benefited from supplementary data and discussion with Adolf Cortel.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Cristalografía y Mineralogía, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, c/José Antonio Novais, 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Ángel Crespo López, Carlos Pimentel & Carlos M. Pina

  2. Instituto de Geociencias IGEO (UCM-CSIC), 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Carlos Pimentel & Carlos M. Pina

  3. Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados, IMDEA Nanociencia, Calle Faraday 9, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Patricia Pedraz & Carlos M. Pina

Authors
  1. Ángel Crespo López
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  2. Carlos Pimentel
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  3. Patricia Pedraz
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  4. Carlos M. Pina
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Correspondence to Carlos M. Pina.

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Crespo López, Á., Pimentel, C., Pedraz, P. et al. First occurrence of the rare mineral slavikite in Spain. J Iber Geol 43, 487–495 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41513-017-0030-6

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