Moorhouseite Explained

Moorhouseite
Category:	Sulfate mineral
Formula:	CoSO4•6H2O
Imasymbol:	Mh^[1]
Strunz:	7.CB.25
Class:	Prismatic (2/m) (same H-M symbol)
Symmetry:	C2/c
Unit Cell:	a = 10.03, b = 7.23, c = 24.26 [Å], β=98.37^o (approximated); Z = 8
Color:	Pink
Habit:	granular; in crusts and efflorescences
Fracture:	Conchoidal
Mohs:	2.5
Luster:	Vitreous
Streak:	White
Density:	1.97-2.02 (measured)
Impurities:	Ni, Mn, Cu, Fe
References:	^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[5]

Moorhouseite is a rare mineral with the formula CoSO₄•6H₂O, a naturally occurring cobalt(II) sulfate hexahydrate. It is the lower-hydrate-equivalent of bieberite (heptahydrate) and aplowite (hexahydrate). It is also hydrated equivalent of cobaltkieserite. It occurs together with moorhouseite within efflorescences found in the Magnet Cove Barium Corporation mine in Walton, Nova Scotia, Canada.^{[6] [7]}

Notes on chemistry

Relatively high amounts of nickel and manganese were reported, with trace amounts of copper and iron.^[8]

Crystal structure

Analysis of synthetic analogue of moorhouseite revealed, that its structure may be described as containing:^[9]

• Co(H₂O)₆ octahedra, forming alternate layers
• SO₄ tetrahedra
• hydrogen bonds (two per a single water molecule)

Notes and References

1. Warr. L.N.. 2021. IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine. 85. 3 . 291–320. 10.1180/mgm.2021.43 . 2021MinM...85..291W . 235729616 . free.
2. https://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/MineralData?mineral=Moorhouseite Mineralienatlas
3. Jambor, J.L., and Boyle, R.W., 1984. Moorhouseite and aplowite, new cobalt minerals from Walton, Nova Scotia. Canadian Mineralogist 8, 166-171
4. Web site: Moorhouseite . Handbookofmineralogy.org . 2016-03-10.
5. Web site: Moorhouseite: Moorhouseite mineral information and data . Mindat.org . 2016-03-03.
6. Jambor, J.L., and Boyle, R.W., 1984. Moorhouseite and aplowite, new cobalt minerals from Walton, Nova Scotia. Canadian Mineralogist 8, 166-171
7. Web site: Moorhouseite: Moorhouseite mineral information and data . Mindat.org . 2016-03-03.
8. Jambor, J.L., and Boyle, R.W., 1984. Moorhouseite and aplowite, new cobalt minerals from Walton, Nova Scotia. Canadian Mineralogist 8, 166-171
9. Elerman, Y., 1988. Refinement of the crystal structure of CoSO₄^.6H₂O. Acta Crystallographica C44, 599-601