Gaitite - Encyclopedia
Class : Phosphates, arsenates, vanadates
Subclass : Hydrated arsenates
Crystal system : Triclinic
Chemistry : Ca2Zn(AsO4)2 2H2O
Rarity : Very rare
Gaitite is an extremely rare arsenate of calcium and zinc, present in the deep oxidation zone of Tsumeb (Namibia). It forms a series with fairfieldite and constitutes a series with talmessite, in which zinc is replaced by magnesium. It was named in honor of the mineralogist Robert Irwin Gait, Curator of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto (Canada). Gaitite forms rare crystals of 1 mm at most, and zoned coatings with talmessite, always white in color.
Main photo : Gaitite from Cogolla Alta mine, Andalusia, Spain © Christian Rewitzer
Gaitite in the World
Twinning
No twin known for this mineral species.
Fakes and treatments
No fakes recorded for this mineral species.
Hardness : 5
Density : 3.81
Fracture : Undetermined
Streak : White
TP : Translucent
RI : 1.713 to 1.748
Birefringence : 0.035
Optical character : Biaxial +
Pleochroism : None
Fluorescence : None
Solubility : -
Magnetism : None
Radioactivity : None