Mineral Species
Surite
Type Locality
No
Composition
Pb(Pb,Ca)(Al,Fe3+,Mg)2(Si,Al)4O10(OH)2(CO3)2
Crystal System
Monoclinic
Status at Tsumeb
Questionable
Entry Number
Species; TSNB339
General Notes
Bowell and Mocke (2018) reported the occurrence of surite at Tsumeb on specimens attributed to various locations between levels 28 and 34. Surite was described as "… highly vitreous subhedral crystals" associated with elyite, goethite, kegelite, mathewrogersite, queitite, smithsonite and willemite, replacing a "… Sphalerite-Galena-Tennantite assemblage". A zinc-rich variety of surite was reported from 34 Level containing 14 % Zn.
The identification of surite was based on EDS analysis yet, intriguingly, includes wt % data to two decimal places for all metallic elements, a distinction between Fe2+ and Fe3+ as well as the content of CO2 and H2O.
There is no report of surite from Tsumeb in the peer-reviewed literature and questionable status is retained pending appropriate analytical confirmation.
Associated Minerals
elyite (?); goethite (?); kegelite (?); mathewrogersite (?); queitite (?); smithsonite (?); willemite (?)
