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Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2(SO4)4.14H2O
Hydrated normal sulphate
Specific gravity: 2.174
Hardness: 3 to 3½
Streak: White
Colour: Brown, yellow, violet-brown; yellow-brown in transmitted light
Solubility: Soluble in cold water
Environments
Hydrothermal environments
Volcanic sublimate uncommon
Römerite occurs as an early alteration product of oxidising pyrite or
pyrrhotite, and uncommonly as a volcanic sublimate. Associated minerals
include copiapite, melanterite,
voltaite, halotrichite,
szomolnokite, kornelite,
rozenite, siderotil and
alunite
(HOM).
Localities
At the Sunny Corner Mine, Sunny Corner, Roxburgh county, New South Wales, Australia, römerite occurs with other
sulphate minerals that can be formed only under very acidc conditions. It occurs in an overhang in blue-green coloured
material that is a mixture of chalcanthite,
melanterite, siderotil and
römerite. Close by there is a paler material that is a mixture of major
alunogen and minor jurbanite and
felsobanyaite. Other minerals present in the vicinity include
hydroniumjarosite, copiapite,
ferricopiapite,
cuprocopiapite and
zincocopiapite
(AJM 17.1.45-51).
At the Siglo Veinte Mine, Llallagua, Rafael Bustillo Province, Potosí, Bolivia, römerite has been reported as
crusts of rust-brown crystals in old workings, associated with
chalcanthite, melanterite and
pickeringite
(Minrec 37.2.151).
At the Zagh Mine, Haji Abad, Bandar Abbas, Bandar Abbas County, Hormozgan Province, Iran, römerite has been
found associated with with voltaite
(Dana).
At the type locality, the Rammelsberg mine, Rammelsberg, Goslar, Goslar District, Lower Saxony, Germany, römerite
has been found associated with copiapite
(Dana).
At the United Verde mine, Jerome, Verde Mining District, Black Hills, Yavapai county, Arizona, USA, römerite is
amongst the minerals resulting from a fire that burnt in the mine for many years. The first fire started in 1894,
probably due to spontaneous combustion. Subsequent stripping operations with steam shovels exposed the still
hot rocks impregnated with these minerals.
The relatively rare römerite occurs as a thin crust, a few millimeters in thickness, coating massive, granular
pyrite and associated with small, yellow flakes of
copiapite; the römerite, however, was formed later than the
copiapite. The römerite is pale chestnut brown in the thicker crusts,
and colourless in thin slivers
(AM 13.203-229 as louderbackite).
At the Island Mountain mine, Moose Peak, Island Mountain, Coastal Range, Trinity county, California, USA,
römerite occurs as one of the interesting sulphates developed by the alteration of
pyrrhotite. It is cinnamon-brown or chestnut-brown in colour, and occurs in
stocky to tabular crystals up to 5 mm in length, and 2 or 3 mm in width and thickness. It is commonly associated with a
yellowish earthy oxide like coquimbite
(AM 12.279-282).
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