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Sulfate Minerals

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Encyclopedia of Geochemistry

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

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Definition

Sulfate minerals are mineral species in which the dominant anionic entity is the sulfate anion, [SO4]2− (Chang et al. 1996; Alpers et al. 2000). About 380 valid species of sulfate minerals had been described by early 2017 (cf. www.mindat.org), which are often grouped into a broader “sulfate” anion class along with the much small number (ca. 50) of chromates, molybdates, and tungstates. Even rarer related complex anions are the sulfite ion [S4+O3]2− in scotlandite (PbSO3), fluorsulfonate ion [SO3F]− in reederite-(Y) (Na15Y2(CO3)9(SO3F)Cl), and thiosulfate ([SO3S]2− or [S2O3]2−) in sidpietersite (Pb4(S2O3)O2(OH)2).

Introduction

Sulfur is the commonest element in the Earth that occurs in both negative (S2−) and positive (S4+, S6+) oxidation states. Hexavalent sulfur usually occurs bonded to four oxygen atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement, forming the sulfate anion [SO4]2−. The complex anion is held together internally by rather strong, covalent S-O bonds (bond valence = 1.5...

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia

    Andrew G. Christy

  2. Geosciences, Queensland Museum, Hendra, QLD, Australia

    Andrew G. Christy

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  1. Andrew G. Christy
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Correspondence to Andrew G. Christy .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    William M. White

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Christy, A.G. (2018). Sulfate Minerals. In: White, W.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39312-4_30

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