Ponomarevite

ponomarevite

tolbachite

piypite

cotunnite

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Formula: K₄Cu₄OCl₁₀
Oxyhalide
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 2.78
Hardness: 2½
Streak: Orange-red
Colour: Red with a gold tint
Solubility: Soluble in cold water
Environments

Fumeroles

Ponomarevite is a very rare mineral, to date (June 2023) reported only from the Tolbachik volcano.

Localities

At the type locality, the First scoria cone, Northern Breakthrough, Great Fissure eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka Krai, Russia, ponomarevite occurs as a fracture filling and in fumaroles, deposited from 280^oC to 400^oC. Associated minerals include halite, sylvite, tenorite, tolbachite, dolerophanite, piypite, chalcocyanite, cotunnite, sofiite, klyuchevskite and kamchatkite. The ponomarevite occurs as a cement and as a crust, 1 to 2 cm thick (AM 75.709, HOM, Dana).
Another associated mineral is ozerovaite (EJM 31.1.159-166)

Ponomarevite is unstable in air, altering slowly to mitscherlichite (AM 75.709).

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