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Formula: Bi(VO4)
Anhydrous normal vanadate, the orthorhombic
paramorph of monoclinic
clinobisvanite and tetragonal
dreyerite.
It changes to the monoclinic
form above 500oC (Dana).
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Specific gravity: 6.69 calculated
Hardness: 4
Streak: Yellow
Colour: Reddish brown, dark reddish brown, greenish-brown, orange, yellowish brown, yellow-brown in transmitted light
Solubility: Soluble in hydrochloric acid with evolution of chlorine to give a deep red solution, which turns green
upon dilution and
deposits a yellow basic chloride (Mindat)
Environments:
Pegmatites
Hydrothermal environments
Pucherite is a rare alteration product of other bismuth minerals
in the oxidised zone of some hydrothermal ore deposits, and in zoned
granite
pegmatites. Associated minerals include
bismuth, bismutite,
beyerite, bismuthinite,
schumacherite and
clinobisvanite
(HOM, Mindat, Webmin).
Localities
At the Sand Prince shaft, Sand Queen mines, Comet Vale, Menzies Shire, Western Australia, crystals of
pucherite to 25 microns on vein quartz associated with
jarosite and traces of
gold have been found on the dumps. Pucherite typically occurs as a
secondary alteration product of native
bismuth
and bismuth sulphides in hydrothermal veins and pegmatites
(AJM 12.1.21).
At the type locality, the Pucher Shaft, Wolfgang Maaßen mines, Schneeberg, Erzgebirgskreis, Saxony, Germany,
pucherite is associated with schumacherite,
clinobisvanite
bismutite, bismuthinite,
bismuth and beyerite
(Mindat).
At Mt Ibity, Ibity massif, Ibity, Antsirabe II, Vakinankaratra, Madagascar, pucherite is found in
pegmatites with native
bismuth
(Dana).
At the Ampangabé pegmatite, Miandrarivo, Faratsiho, Vakinankaratra, Madagascar, pucherite is found with
bismuthinite
(Dana).
At the Stewart Mine, Tourmaline Queen Mountain, and the Pala Chief Mine, Chief Mountain, both at Pala, Pala Mining
District, San Diego County,
California, USA, pucherite is found in a pegmatite
as an alteration product of native bismuth
(Dana).
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