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Woodallite, a new chromium analogue of iowaite from the Mount Keith nickel deposit, Western Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

B. A. Grguric ,
I. C. Madsen  and
A. Pring
B. A. Grguric*
Affiliation:
Geology and Resource Evaluation Department, WMC Resources Ltd., Mount Keith Operation, P.O. Box 238, Welshpool Delivery Centre, W.A. 6986, Australia
I. C. Madsen
Affiliation:
CSIRO Division of Minerals, Box 312, Clayton South, Victoria 3169, Australia
A. Pring
Affiliation:
Mineralogy Department, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, S.A. 5000, Australia Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, S.A. 5000, Australia
*
*E-mail: ben.grguric@wmc.com
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Abstract

Woodallite is a new Cr-rich member of the hydrotalcite group from the large, low-grade Mount Keith nickel deposit, in the northeastern Goldfields district of Western Australia. Woodallite occurs as whorls and clusters of minute platelets up to 6 mm across in lizardite+brucite-altered dunite. Individual platelets are typically 10–100 µm in maximum dimension and are often curved. Associated minerals include chromite, lizardite, iowaite, pentlandite, magnetite, tochilinite and brucite. Electron microprobe analysis gave: Mg 25.90 wt.%; Cr 10.81; Fe 4.86; Al 0.68; Cl 9.89; S 0.03; Si 0.01; Ni 0.01; Na 0.01, yielding (after correction for loss of volatiles) an empirical formula of Mg6.19(Cr1.21Fe0.51Al0.15)∑1.87(OH)16[Cl1.62(CO3)0.17(SO4)0.01]·4H2O, by analogy with the hydrotalcite group. The simplified formula is Mg6Cr2(OH)16Cl2·4H2O. Combined thermogravimetric analysis and mass spectroscopy showed a two-stage weight loss of 12.7% and 27.3% occurring over the ranges 25–300°C and 300–660°C, respectively. The first weight loss is attributed to loss of interlayer water, chlorine-bearing species (e.g. HCl) and some CO2, the second to loss of hydroxide water, remaining CO2 and Cl species. The mineral is deep magenta to purple in colour, transparent, with a resinous to waxy lustre, and a perfect basal {0001} cleavage. Woodallite has a Mohs hardness of 1.5–2, and a pale-pink to white streak. The strongest lines in the X-ray powder pattern are [dobs (Iobs) (hkl)] 8.037 (100) (003); 4.021 (48) (006); 2.679 (1) (009); 2.624 (3) (012); 2.349 (5) (015); 2.007 (6) (0,0,12); 1.698 (2) (0,1,11); 1.524 (2) (23). These lines were indexed on a hexagonal cell with a = 3.103(2), c = 24.111(24)Å, V = 201.14 Å3 and Z = 3/8. The new mineral is isostructural with the hydrotalcite group and has space group Rm. The measured density is 2.062 gm/cm3. Woodallite is uniaxial negative with ω = 1.555 and ε = 1.535 (white light); pleochroism is distinct from violet to pinkish lilac. Woodallite forms as a result of hydrothermal alteration of primary magmatic chromite by Clrich solutions at temperatures <320°C. Relict chromite fragments are frequently present in the whorls, and associated magnetite is altered extensively to iowaite. The mineral is named after Roy Woodall, eminent Australian industry geologist.

Keywords

woodallitenew mineralhydrotalcite groupMount Keith depositWestern Australia
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 65 , Issue 3 , June 2001 , pp. 427 - 435
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2001

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