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Gaitite

A valid IMA mineral species
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00441610017271923289759.jpg
Gaitite

Cogolla Alta mine, La Ventosilla farmhouse, BelalcĆ”zar, CĆ³rdoba, Andalusia, Spain
09188300017271923302873.jpg
Gaitite, etc.

Plaka Mine No. 80, Plaka Mines, Plaka, Lavreotiki, East Attica, Attica, Greece
09943930017271923355221.jpg
Gaitite, etc.

Twin Creeks Mine, Potosi Mining District, Osgood Mountains, Humboldt County, Nevada, USA
08879500017866683795634.jpg
Gaitite

Cogolla Alta mine, La Ventosilla farmhouse, BelalcĆ”zar, CĆ³rdoba, Andalusia, Spain
09188300017271923302873.jpg
Gaitite, etc.

Plaka Mine No. 80, Plaka Mines, Plaka, Lavreotiki, East Attica, Attica, Greece
09943930017271923355221.jpg
Gaitite, etc.

Twin Creeks Mine, Potosi Mining District, Osgood Mountains, Humboldt County, Nevada, USA
03226830017271923409101.jpg
Gaitite

Cogolla Alta mine, La Ventosilla farmhouse, BelalcĆ”zar, CĆ³rdoba, Andalusia, Spain
09188300017271923302873.jpg
Gaitite, etc.

Plaka Mine No. 80, Plaka Mines, Plaka, Lavreotiki, East Attica, Attica, Greece
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About GaititeHide

Formula:
Ca2Zn(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2O
Colour:
White to colorless
Lustre:
Vitreous
Hardness:
5
Specific Gravity:
3.81
Crystal System:
Triclinic
Name:
Named in 1980 by Bozidar Darko Sturman and Pete J. Dunn in honor of Robert Irwin Gait [b. September 12, 1938], mineralogist, Curator of the mineral and gem collection (1967-1996), Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, for his contributions to mineralogy and curatorial excellence.
Dimorph of:
Zincroselite
Gaitite-Talmessite Series.



Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
1636
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1636:6

Similar NamesHide

CattiiteA valid IMA mineral speciesMg3(PO4)2 · 22H2O
GainiteA synonym of Hainite-(Y)
GaotaiiteA valid IMA mineral speciesIr3Te8
GauteiteA rock subtype
GoetiteA synonym of Goethite
KatoiteA valid IMA mineral speciesCa3Al2[◻(OH)4]3
KeatiteValid as an unnamed mineralSiO2
QueititeA valid IMA mineral speciesPb4Zn2(SO4)(SiO4)(Si2O7)

IMA Classification of GaititeHide

IMA status:
Approved
IMA Formula:
Ca2+2Zn2+(As5+O4)2Ā·2H2O
Approval year:
1978
First published:
1980
Type description reference:
Sturman, B. Darko, Dunn, Pete J. (1980) Gaitite, H2Ca2Zn(AsO4)2(OH)2, a new mineral from Tsumeb, Namibia. The Canadian Mineralogist, 18 (2) 197-200

Classification of GaititeHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):
8.CG.05

8 : PHOSPHATES, ARSENATES, VANADATES
C : Phosphates without additional anions, with H2O
G : With large and medium-sized cations, RO4:H2O = 1:1
Dana 8th ed.:
40.2.2.6

40 : HYDRATED NORMAL PHOSPHATES,ARSENATES AND VANADATES
2 : AB2(XO4)2·xH2O
Hey's CIM Ref.:
20.3.11

20 : Arsenates (also arsenates with phosphate, but without other anions)
3 : Arsenates of Zn, Cd or Hg

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMAā€“CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
GtIMAā€“CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMAā€“CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of GaititeHide

Lustre:
Vitreous
Transparency:
Translucent
Colour:
White to colorless
Streak:
White
Hardness:
5 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
{010}, {001}, and {011}, probable, equally good.
Density:
3.81(5) g/cm3 (Measured)    3.82 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of GaititeHide

Type:
Biaxial (+)
RI values:
nα = 1.713 nβ = 1.73 nγ = 1.748
2V:
Measured: 88° , Calculated: 90°
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.035
Based on recorded range of RI values above.

Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.

Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 Āµm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.

Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.

Surface Relief:
Very High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).

This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized biaxial acute bisectrix (Bxa) interference figure - the conoscopic view for a grain cut perpendicular to the acute bisectrix, using this mineral's 2V. The two small white dots mark the melatopes - the points where the two optic axes emerge - and are shown only when they fall within the field of view. The coloured bands are isochromatics, and the dark bands are isogyres.

Rotate the stage: at 0°/90° the isogyres form a cross through the melatopes; at 45° they pull apart into curved hyperbolas. That splitting on rotation - absent in a uniaxial figure - is the standard diagnostic test for telling biaxial minerals from uniaxial ones. If 2V is large, the melatopes may fall outside the field of view, as they often do at the microscope too.
Dispersion:
weak

Chemistry of GaititeHide

Mindat Formula:
Ca2Zn(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2O
Element Weights:
Element% weight
O34.826 %
As32.617 %
Ca17.448 %
Zn14.232 %
H0.878 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
O
As
Ca
Zn
H
Elements listed:
As, Ca, H, O, Zn - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of GaititeHide

Crystal System:
Triclinic
Class (H-M):
1 - Pinacoidal
Space Group:
P1
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.9 Å, b = 7.61 Å, c = 5.57 Å
α = 111.67°, β = 70.83°, γ = 119.42°
Ratio:
a:b:c = 0.775 : 1 : 0.732
Unit Cell V:
199.08 ƅĀ³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
1

Crystal StructureHide

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IDSpeciesReferenceLinkYearLocalityPressure (GPa)Temp (K)
0007063GaititeKeller P, Lissner F, Schleid T (2004) The crystal structures of zincroselite and gaitite: Two natural polymorphs of Ca2Zn[AsO4]2*2H2O from Tsumeb, Namibia European Journal of Mineralogy 16 353-3592004Tsumeb, Namibia0293
CIF Raw Data - click here to close

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
2.781 ƅ(100)
3.080 ƅ(80)
2.750 ƅ(70)
1.721 ƅ(60)
3.350 ƅ(50)
3.208 ƅ(50)
5.05 ƅ(40)
Comments:
Tsumeb, Namibia. Data from the type description.

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event<2.4
47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals]
47d : [Arsenates, antimonates, selenates, bismuthinates]

Type Occurrence of GaititeHide

Type Locality:
ā“˜ Tsumeb Mine (Ongopolo Mine), Tsumeb, Oshikoto Region, Namibia
General Appearance of Type Material:
Polycrystalline coatings; only a few small crystals were found, with the largest dimension of about 1 mm.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M35388.
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 144799.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
AdamiteChalcociteConichalciteProsperite
Reference:
Sturman, B. Darko, Dunn, Pete J. (1980) Gaitite, H2Ca2Zn(AsO4)2(OH)2, a new mineral from Tsumeb, Namibia. The Canadian Mineralogist, 18 (2) 197-200

Synonyms of GaititeHide

Other Language Names for GaititeHide

Relationship of Gaitite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Collinsite Group > Krƶhnkite Supergroup
Other Members of Collinsite Group:
AnorthoroseliteCa2Co(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric.
CassidyiteCa2Ni(PO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric.
CollinsiteCa2Mg(PO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
FairfielditeCa2Mn2+(PO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
HilliteCa2Zn(PO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
MesseliteCa2Fe2+(PO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
NickeltalmessiteCa2Ni(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
ParabrandtiteCa2Mn2+(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
TalmessiteCa2Mg(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
'Unnamed (Fe2+-analogue of Parabrandtite)'Ca2Fe2+(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2O
Forms a series with:
TalmessiteGaitite-Talmessite Series

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
2 photos of Gaitite associated with CalciteCaCO3
1 photo of Gaitite associated with PicropharmacoliteCa4Mg(AsO4)2(HAsO4)2 Ā· 11H2O

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

8.CG.FluckiteCaMn2+(AsO3OH)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.DondoelliteCa2Fe(PO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.'Ca-HurĆ©aulite'CaMn5(PO4)4 Ā· 4H2O
8.CG.AlumolukrahniteCa[CuAl](AsO4)2(H2O,OH)2Tric. 1 : P1
8.CG.05ParabrandtiteCa2Mn2+(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.05TalmessiteCa2Mg(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.05CollinsiteCa2Mg(PO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.05MesseliteCa2Fe2+(PO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.05AnorthoroseliteCa2Co(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric.
8.CG.05CassidyiteCa2Ni(PO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric.
8.CG.05FairfielditeCa2Mn2+(PO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.05HilliteCa2Zn(PO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.05'Unnamed (Fe2+-analogue of Parabrandtite)'Ca2Fe2+(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2O
8.CG.10ZincroseliteCa2Zn(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : P21/c
8.CG.10RoseliteCa2Co(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : P21/c
8.CG.10RruffiteCa2Cu(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : P21/c
8.CG.10WendwilsoniteCa2Mg(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : P21/c
8.CG.10BrandtiteCa2Mn2+(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : P21/c
8.CG.10'Unnamed (Fe2+-analogue of Brandtite)'Ca2Fe2+(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2O
8.CG.15MawbyitePbFe3+2(AsO4)2(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15ThometzekitePbCu2+2(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15YancowinnaitePbCuAl(AsO4)2OH Ā· H2O Tric. 1 : P1
8.CG.15SchneebergiteBiCo2(AsO4)2(OH) Ā· H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15CabalzariteCaMg2(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15NickelschneebergiteBiNi2(AsO4)2(OH) Ā· H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15LotharmeyeriteCaZn2(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15NickeltsumcoritePb(Ni,Fe3+)2(AsO4)2(H2O,OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15MagnesiofluckiteCaMg(AsO3OH)2(H2O)2Tric. 1 : P1
8.CG.15KrettnichitePbMn3+2(VO4)2(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15CobalttsumcoritePbCo2(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15ManganlotharmeyeriteCaMn3+2(AsO4)2(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15TsumcoritePbZn2(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15FerrilotharmeyeriteCaZnFe3+(AsO4)2(OH) Ā· H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15CobaltlotharmeyeriteCaCo2(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15MounanaitePbFe3+2(VO4)2(OH)2Mon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.15NickellotharmeyeriteCaNi2(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OMon. 2/m : B2/m
8.CG.20LukrahniteCaCuFe3+(AsO4)2(OH,H2O)2Tric. 1 : P1
8.CG.20HelmutwinkleritePbZn2(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.20PhosphogartrellitePbCuFe3+(PO4)2(OH,H2O)2Tric. 1 : P1
8.CG.20GartrellitePbCuFe3+(AsO4)2(OH) Ā· H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.20ZincgartrellitePbZn2(AsO4)2(H2O,OH)2Tric. 1 : P1
8.CG.20RappolditePbCo2(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.25Pottsite(Pb3xBi4-2x)(VO4)4 Ā· H2O (0.8 < x < 1.0)Tet. 4/m : I41/a
8.CG.25Armellinoite-(Ce)Ca4Ce4+(AsO4)4 Ā· H2OTet. 4/m : I41/a
8.CG.35NickeltalmessiteCa2Ni(AsO4)2 Ā· 2H2OTric. 1 : P1
8.CG.55IrhtemiteCa4Mg(AsO4)2(HAsO4)2 Ā· 4H2OMon.

Fluorescence of GaititeHide

In UV light:
Not fluorescent.

Other InformationHide

Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for GaititeHide

References for GaititeHide

Localities for GaititeHide

Showing 8 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
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Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed. - This locality has estimated coordinates. ā“˜ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. - Good crystals or important locality for species. - World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Germany
 
  • Rhineland-Palatinate
    • Rhein-Lahn-Kreis
      • Lahnstein
        • Friedrichssegen
Schnorrer (1993)
Greece
 
  • Attica
    • East Attica
      • Lavreotiki
        • Agios Konstantinos (Kamariza)
          • Mercati mines
Rieck (1999)
        • Plaka
          • Plaka Mines
Fritz Schreiber collection
Namibia (TL)
 
  • Oshikoto Region
    • Tsumeb
Sturman et al. (1980) +1 other reference
Spain
 
  • Andalusia
    • CĆ³rdoba
      • BelalcĆ”zar
        • La Ventosilla farmhouse
Rewitzer et al. (2018)
USA
 
  • Nevada
    • Humboldt County
      • Osgood Mountains
        • Potosi Mining District
Newmont Mining Corporation
Min News (1999)
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