Mineral Species
Claudetite
Type Locality
No
Composition
As2O3
Crystal System
Monoclinic
Status at Tsumeb
Questionable
Entry Number
Species; TSNB85
General Notes
Claudetite was first recorded from the second oxidation zone by Strunz et al. (1958a) where it occurs as thin, flexible, colourless to white plates or foliations (to 3 mm), or in massive form. Strunz (1959) added unit cell dimensions to this description.
Keller et al. (1979b) listed claudetite as a component of the warikahnite type paragenesis from the East 9 Pillar on 31 Level in the second oxidation zone. A complex paragenetic sequence for the (mainly) arsenates and arsenites of the East 9 Pillar assemblage, including claudetite, was proposed by Keller and Bartelke (1982) and an attempt to link paragenesis with aqueous geochemistry was made by Bowell (2014).
Keller (1984) pointed out that claudetite can be mistaken for koritnigite or schultenite, but that it is much rarer than either of these minerals.
Origlieri et al. (2009) cautioned that:
"The unit cell [for claudetite] reported by Strunz (1959) lacks the precision required to reliably distinguish stibioclaudetite from claudetite. Keller et al. (1979b) reported another occurrence of claudetite in association with warikahnite, unfortunately without specifying the identification method. The original identification of claudetite from Tsumeb could be in error; therefore, Tsumeb specimens labelled ‘claudetite’ warrant re-examination."
Following the 2009 discovery of stibioclaudetite, an isostructural antimony-substituted analogue of claudetite, re-confirmation of claudetite as a valid species at Tsumeb is required pending which, the occurrence of claudetite at Tsumeb is considered questionable.
Associated Minerals
adamite (?); austinite (?); conichalcite (?); gaitite (?); helmutwinklerite (?); hörnesite (?); johillerite (?); keyite (?); koritnigite (?); köttigite (?); leiteite (?); ludlockite (?); o'danielite (?); prosperite (?); schneiderhöhnite (?); schultenite (?); warikahnite (?); zincolivenite (?); zincroselite (?)
