Woodallite

A valid IMA mineral species

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Woodallite

Mount Keith Open Pit, Mount Keith, Wiluna Shire, Western Australia, Australia

Woodallite

Mount Keith Open Pit, Mount Keith, Wiluna Shire, Western Australia, Australia

Woodallite

Mount Keith Open Pit, Mount Keith, Wiluna Shire, Western Australia, Australia

Woodallite

Mount Keith Open Pit, Mount Keith, Wiluna Shire, Western Australia, Australia

Woodallite

Mount Keith Open Pit, Mount Keith, Wiluna Shire, Western Australia, Australia

Woodallite

Mount Keith Open Pit, Mount Keith, Wiluna Shire, Western Australia, Australia

Woodallite

Mount Keith Open Pit, Mount Keith, Wiluna Shire, Western Australia, Australia

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About WoodalliteHide

Formula:

Mg₆Cr₂(OH)₁₆Cl₂ · 4H₂O

Colour:

Purple to deep magenta.

Lustre:

Resinous, Waxy

Hardness:

1½ - 2

Specific Gravity:

2.062

Crystal System:

Trigonal

Member of:

Hydrotalcite Group > Hydrotalcite Supergroup

Name:

Named in honor of Dr. Roy Woodall AO, FAA, FTSE, (3 November 1930, Subiaco Perth, Western Australia, Australia - died 14 February 2021). Roy was an eminent Australian geologist who was instrumental in the initiation and development of the nickel and aluminium industries in Western Australia.

Type Locality:

ⓘ Mount Keith Open Pit, Mount Keith, Wiluna Shire, Western Australia, Australia

Hydrotalcite Group.

May grade into chromium-bearing iowaite.
See also the visually similar stichtite.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

10319

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:10319:0

Similar NamesHide

Wadalite	A valid IMA mineral species	(Ca,Mg)₆(Al,Fe³⁺)₄((Si,Al)O₄)₃O₄Cl₃
Weddellite	A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered	Ca(C₂O₄) · (2.5-x)H₂O

IMA Classification of WoodalliteHide

IMA status:

Approved

IMA Formula:

Mg₆Cr³⁺₂(OH)₁₆Cl₂·4H₂O

Approval year:

2000

Type description reference:

Grguric, B.A., Madsen, I.C., Pring, A. (2001) Woodallite, a new chromium analogue of iowaite from the Mount Keith nickel deposit, Western Australia. Mineralogical Magazine, 65 (3). 427-435 doi:10.1180/002646101300119501

Classification of WoodalliteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

4.FL.05

4 : OXIDES (Hydroxides, V[5,6] vanadates, arsenites, antimonites, bismuthites, sulfites, selenites, tellurites, iodates)
F : Hydroxides (without V or U)
L : Hydroxides with H₂O +- (OH); sheets of edge-sharing octahedra

Mineral SymbolsHide

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

Symbol	Source	Reference for Standard
Wod	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of WoodalliteHide

Lustre:

Resinous, Waxy

Transparency:

Transparent

Colour:

Purple to deep magenta.

Streak:

Pale pink to white

Hardness:

1½ - 2 on Mohs scale

Tenacity:

Flexible

Cleavage:

Perfect
Perfect {0001}

Density:

2.062(5) g/cm³ (Measured) 2.023 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of WoodalliteHide

Type:

Uniaxial (-)

RI values:

n_ω = 1.555 n_ε = 1.535

Max. Birefringence:

δ = 0.020
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 µm 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.

Thickness: 30 µm Order divisions

Rotation:

Surface Relief:

Low (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.

Focus:

In focus

Interference Figure:

This shows the idealized uniaxial interference figure - the conoscopic (convergent-light, Bertrand-lens-in) view, for a grain cut with the optic axis centred and vertical. The coloured rings are isochromatics, computed with the same physics as the Michel-Lévy bar above; the dark cross is the isogyre.

For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.

Thickness: 30 µm

Pleochroism:

Visible

Comments:

violet to pinkish lilac.

Chemistry of WoodalliteHide

Mindat Formula:

Mg₆Cr₂(OH)₁₆Cl₂ · 4H₂O

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
O	48.125 %
Mg	21.932 %
Cr	15.640 %
Cl	10.664 %
H	3.638 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

Cl, Cr, H, Mg, O - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of WoodalliteHide

Crystal System:

Trigonal

Class (H-M):

3m(32/m) - Hexagonal Scalenohedral

Space Group:

R3m

Cell Parameters:

a = 3.10124(8) Å, c = 23.6817(16) Å

Ratio:

a:c = 1 : 7.636

Unit Cell V:

197.25 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Comment:

3R polytype

Crystal StructureHide

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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure

ID	Species	Reference	Link	Year	Locality	Pressure (GPa)	Temp (K)
0019807	Woodallite	Mills S J, Whitfield P S, Kampf A R, Wilson S A, Dipple G M, Raudsepp M, Favreau G (2012) Contribution to the crystallography of hydrotalcites: the crystal structures of woodallite and takovite Journal of Geosciences 58 273-279		2012	Mount Keith Nickel Mine, Western Australia, Australia	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

data_global
_chemical_name_mineral 'Woodallite'
loop_
_publ_author_name
'Mills S J'
'Whitfield P S'
'Kampf A R'
'Wilson S A'
'Dipple G M'
'Raudsepp M'
'Favreau G'
_journal_name_full 'Journal of Geosciences'
_journal_volume 58 
_journal_year 2012
_journal_page_first 273
_journal_page_last 279
_publ_section_title
;
 Contribution to the crystallography of hydrotalcites:
 the crystal structures of woodallite and takovite
 Note: polytype 3R
 Note: calculated chemical formula differs from expected
;
_database_code_amcsd 0019807
_chemical_compound_source 'Mount Keith Nickel Mine, Western Australia, Australia'
_chemical_formula_sum '(Mg.75 Cr.124 Al.039 Fe.087) O2.851 H2 C.07 Cl.11'
_cell_length_a 3.10124
_cell_length_b 3.10124
_cell_length_c 23.6817
_cell_angle_alpha 90
_cell_angle_beta 90
_cell_angle_gamma 120
_cell_volume 197.249
_exptl_crystal_density_diffrn      2.095
_symmetry_space_group_name_H-M 'R -3 m'
loop_
_space_group_symop_operation_xyz
  'x,y,z'
  '2/3+x,1/3+y,1/3+z'
  '1/3+x,2/3+y,2/3+z'
  'x,x-y,z'
  '2/3+x,1/3+x-y,1/3+z'
  '1/3+x,2/3+x-y,2/3+z'
  'y,x,-z'
  '2/3+y,1/3+x,1/3-z'
  '1/3+y,2/3+x,2/3-z'
  '-x+y,y,z'
  '2/3-x+y,1/3+y,1/3+z'
  '1/3-x+y,2/3+y,2/3+z'
  '-x,-x+y,-z'
  '2/3-x,1/3-x+y,1/3-z'
  '1/3-x,2/3-x+y,2/3-z'
  '-y,-x,z'
  '2/3-y,1/3-x,1/3+z'
  '1/3-y,2/3-x,2/3+z'
  'x-y,-y,-z'
  '2/3+x-y,1/3-y,1/3-z'
  '1/3+x-y,2/3-y,2/3-z'
  'y,-x+y,-z'
  '2/3+y,1/3-x+y,1/3-z'
  '1/3+y,2/3-x+y,2/3-z'
  '-x+y,-x,z'
  '2/3-x+y,1/3-x,1/3+z'
  '1/3-x+y,2/3-x,2/3+z'
  '-x,-y,-z'
  '2/3-x,1/3-y,1/3-z'
  '1/3-x,2/3-y,2/3-z'
  '-y,x-y,z'
  '2/3-y,1/3+x-y,1/3+z'
  '1/3-y,2/3+x-y,2/3+z'
  'x-y,x,-z'
  '2/3+x-y,1/3+x,1/3-z'
  '1/3+x-y,2/3+x,2/3-z'
loop_
_atom_site_label
_atom_site_fract_x
_atom_site_fract_y
_atom_site_fract_z
_atom_site_occupancy
_atom_site_U_iso_or_equiv
Mg1   0.00000   0.00000   0.00000   0.75000   0.01343
Cr   0.00000   0.00000   0.00000   0.12400   0.01343
Al   0.00000   0.00000   0.00000   0.03900   0.01343
Fe   0.00000   0.00000   0.00000   0.08700   0.01343
O1   0.33333   0.66667   0.04159   1.00000   0.01343
H1   0.33333   0.66667   0.08168   1.00000   0.01343
O2   0.33780   0.33780   0.50000   0.14190   0.02533
C1   0.00000   0.00000   0.50000   0.07000   0.02533
Cl1   0.00000   0.00000   0.50000   0.11000   0.02533

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
8.0361 Å	(100)
4.0205 Å	(48)
2.0072 Å	(6)
2.3488 Å	(5)
2.6239 Å	(3)
1.6977 Å	(2)
1.5237 Å	(2)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event	<2.4
47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals]
47e : [Vanadates, chromates, manganates]
47g : [Halogen-bearing surface weathering minerals]

Type Occurrence of WoodalliteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ Mount Keith Open Pit, Mount Keith, Wiluna Shire, Western Australia, Australia

General Appearance of Type Material:

As platelets, commonly curved or crenulated, to
100 μm

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

: South Australian Museum, Adelaide (G25116), the Western Australian Museum, Perth (WAM M1.2000), and the Museum of Victoria, Melbourne (M46222), Australia.

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Brucite	Chromite	Iowaite	Lizardite	Magnetite
Pentlandite	Tochilinite

Reference:

Synonyms of WoodalliteHide

IMA2000-042

Other Language Names for WoodalliteHide

Dutch:Woodalliet

German:Woodallit

Simplified Chinese:羟氯铬镁石

Spanish:Woodallita

Relationship of Woodallite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:

Hydrotalcite Group > Hydrotalcite Supergroup

Other Members of Hydrotalcite Group:

Desautelsite	Mg₆Mn³⁺₂(OH)₁₆[CO₃] · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m)
Droninoite	Ni₆Fe³⁺₂(OH)₁₆Cl₂ · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
Hydrotalcite	Mg₆Al₂(CO₃)(OH)₁₆ · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
Iowaite	Mg₆Fe³⁺₂(OH)₁₆Cl₂ · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
Kaznakhtite	Ni₆Co³⁺₂(CO₃)(OH)₁₆ · 4H₂O	Trig. 3 : R3
Meixnerite	Mg₆Al₂(OH)₁₆(OH)₂ · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
Pyroaurite	Mg₆Fe³⁺₂(OH)₁₆[CO₃] · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
Reevesite	Ni₆Fe³⁺₂(OH)₁₆(CO₃) · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
Stichtite	Mg₆Cr³⁺₂(OH)₁₆[CO₃] · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
Takovite	Ni₆Al₂(OH)₁₆[CO₃] · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
'UM2002-02-COH:FeNi'	(Fe²⁺,Ni)₆Fe³⁺₂(CO₃)(OH)₁₆ · 4H₂O

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:

1 photo of Woodallite associated with Iowaite	Mg₆Fe³⁺₂(OH)₁₆Cl₂ · 4H₂O
1 photo of Woodallite associated with Lizardite	Mg₃(Si₂O₅)(OH)₄

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

4.FL.	Trébeurdenite	Fe²⁺₂Fe³⁺₄O₂(OH)₁₀CO₃ · 3H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
4.FL.	Mariakrite	[Ca₄Al₂(OH)₁₂(H₂O)₄][Fe₂S₄]	Tric. 1 : P1
4.FL.05	Muskoxite	Mg₇Fe₄O₁₃ · 10H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m)
4.FL.05	Jamborite	Ni²⁺_1-xCo³⁺_x(OH)_2-x(SO₄)_x · nH₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
4.FL.05	Mössbauerite	Fe³⁺₆O₄(OH)₈[CO₃] · 3H₂O	Trig. 3
4.FL.05	Meixnerite	Mg₆Al₂(OH)₁₆(OH)₂ · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
4.FL.05	Fougèrite	Fe²⁺₄Fe³⁺₂(OH)₁₂[CO₃] · 3H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
4.FL.05	Dritsite	Li₂Al₄(OH)₁₂Cl₂ · 3H₂O	Hex. 6/mmm(6/m2/m2/m) : P6₃/mcm
4.FL.05	Rotemite	Ca₄Cr₂(OH)₁₂Cl₂ · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3c
4.FL.05	Iowaite	Mg₆Fe³⁺₂(OH)₁₆Cl₂ · 4H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3m
4.FL.10	Hydrocalumite	Ca₄Al₂(OH)₁₂(Cl,CO₃,OH)₂ · 4H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2/b
4.FL.15	Kuzelite	Ca₄Al₂(OH)₁₂[SO₄] · 6H₂O	Trig.
4.FL.20	Jianshuiite	(Mg,Mn,Ca)Mn₃O₇ · 3H₂O	Trig. 3 : R3
4.FL.20	Ernienickelite	NiMn₃O₇ · 3H₂O	Trig. 3 : R3
4.FL.20	Aurorite	Mn²⁺Mn⁴⁺₃O₇ · 3H₂O	Trig. 3 : R3
4.FL.20	Chalcophanite	ZnMn⁴⁺₃O₇ · 3H₂O	Trig. 3 : R3
4.FL.25	Woodruffite	Zn²⁺_x/2(Mn⁴⁺_1-xMn³⁺_x)O₂ · yH2O	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.30	Asbolane	(Ni,Co)_2-xMn⁴⁺(O,OH)₄ · nH₂O	Hex.
4.FL.30 va	'Lampadite'	Cu, Mn, O, H
4.FL.35	Buserite	Na₄Mn₁₄O₂₇ · 21H₂O
4.FL.40	Takanelite	(Mn,Ca)Mn₄O₉ · H₂O	Hex.
4.FL.40	Ranciéite	(Ca,Mn²⁺)_0.2(Mn⁴⁺,Mn³⁺)O₂ · 0.6H₂O	Trig. 3 : P3
4.FL.45	Birnessite	(Na,Ca)_0.5(Mn⁴⁺,Mn³⁺)₂O₄ · 1.5H₂O	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.55	Cianciulliite	Mn(Mg,Mn)₂Zn₂(OH)₁₀ · 2-4H₂O	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.60	Jensenite	Cu₃[TeO₆] · 2H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
4.FL.65	Leisingite	Cu₂MgTe⁶⁺O₆ · 6H₂O	Trig. 3 : P3
4.FL.70	Akdalaite	Al₁₀O₁₄(OH)₂	Hex.
4.FL.75	Cafetite	CaTi₂O₅ · H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/c
4.FL.80	Mourite	UMo₅O₁₂(OH)₁₀	Mon. 2/m : P2/b
4.FL.85	Deloryite	Cu₄(UO₂)(MoO₄)₂(OH)₆	Mon. 2/m : B2/m
4.FL.90	Lagalyite	Ca_2xMn_1-xO₂ · 1.5-2H₂O	Mon.
4.FL.95	'Tunnerite'
4.FL.100	Carbocalumite	Ca₄Al₂(OH)₁₂(CO₃) · 6H₂O	Trig. 3m(32/m) : R3c
4.FL.100	Mampsisite	Ca₄Al₂(CO₃)(OH)₁₂ · 5H₂O	Tric. 1 : P1

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 WoodalliteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-10319.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

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Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

Mineral Dealers:

Buy from D. Joyce minerals

References for WoodalliteHide

Reference List:

Mills, S. J., Whitfield, P. S., Kampf, A. R., Wilson, S. A., Dipple, G. M., Raudsepp, M., Favreau, F. (2012) Contribution to the crystallography of hydrotalcites: the crystal structures of woodallite and takovite. Journal of GEOsciences, 57 (4) 273-279

Mills, S. J.; Christy, A. G.; Génin, J.-M. R.; Kameda, T.; Colombo, F. (2012) Nomenclature of the hydrotalcite supergroup: natural layered double hydroxides. Mineralogical Magazine, 76 (5). 1289-1336 doi:10.1180/minmag.2012.076.5.10

(2020) Woodallite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Localities for WoodalliteHide

Showing 4 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.

Hide all sections | Show all sections

Locality ListHide

- This locality has map coordinates listed.

- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - 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.


Australia
Western Australia Wiluna Shire Lake Way Station ⓘ West Jordan deposit	Grguric et al. (2013)
ⓘ Mount Keith	Wilson et al. (2014)
ⓘ Mount Keith Open Pit (TL)	Grguric et al. (2001) +2 other references

Russia
Altai Republic Ust-Koksinsky District Terekta Ridge ⓘ Kyzyl-Uyuk locality	Zhitova et al. (2020)

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Woodallite

About WoodalliteHide

Unique IdentifiersHide

Similar NamesHide

IMA Classification of WoodalliteHide

Classification of WoodalliteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of WoodalliteHide

Optical Data of WoodalliteHide

Chemistry of WoodalliteHide

Crystallography of WoodalliteHide

Crystal StructureHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of WoodalliteHide

Synonyms of WoodalliteHide

Other Language Names for WoodalliteHide

Relationship of Woodallite to other SpeciesHide

Common AssociatesHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for WoodalliteHide

References for WoodalliteHide

Localities for WoodalliteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide