Ebnerite

ebnerite

epiebnerite

sampleite

struvite

Images

Formula: (NH4)Zn(PO4)
Phosphate, hexagonal paramorph of monoclinic epiebnerite
Crystal System: Hexagonal
Specific gravity: 2.78 measured, 2.80 calculated
Hardness: 2
Streak: White
Colour: Colourless
Luminescence: No fluorescence under long wave or short wave UV
Solubility: At room-temperature, ebnerite is insoluble in water, but easily soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid
Environments

Sedimentary environments

Ebnerite is a new mineral, approved in 2023 and to date (November 2024) reported only from the type locality.

Localities

At the type locality, the 125 foot level, Rowley Mine, Theba, Painted Rock Mining District, Painted Rock Mountains, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, ebnerite and its paramorph epiebnerite are new mineral species. They occur in an unusual bat-guano-related, post-mining assemblage of phases. Epiebnerite grows epitactically on ebnerite and replaces it. Ebnerite and epiebnerite are found in intimate association with alunite, halite, mimetite, newberyite, sampleite, struvite and wulfenite on hematite-rich quartzbaryte matrix. Crystals of ebnerite are colourless narrow prisms up to ~0.3 mm in length (MM 88.3.312–318).

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