Images
Formula: KCuCl3
Chloride
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 2.86 measured, 2.88 calculated
Hardness: 3
Streak: Reddish orange
Colour: Bright red
Environments
Sanguite is a relatively new mineral, approved in 2013 and to date (November 2023) reported only
from the type locality.
Localities
The type locality is the Glavnaya Tenoritovaya fumarole, Second scoria cone, Northern Breakthrough, Great
Fissure eruption, Tolbachik Volcanic field, Milkovsky District, Kamchatka Krai, Russia. The Second scoria
cone is a monogenetic volcano formed in 1975. Gas vents belonging to the Glavnaya Tenoritovaya fumarole
fumarole occupy an area of 1.7 x 4.2 m2. In the main part of this area, temperatures of 350 to
360°C were measured at a depth of approximately 20 cm below the surface. Major minerals formed in this
oxide-sulphate zone are hematite,
tenorite, euchlorine,
dolerophanite,
chalcocyanite,
anglesite,
krasheninnikovite and
anhydrite (listed in order of distribution).
The rich chloride mineralisation occurs in the outer, moderately hot (110°C) zone on the northern flank of
the fumarole. Chlorides are major constituents of this zone, represented by
belloite, avdoninite,
eriochalcite, sylvite,
halite, carnallite,
mitscherlichite, sanguite,
chrysothallite,
romanorlovite and
mellizinkalite. Other minerals in this zone are
gypsum, chlorothionite,
kainite, sellaite, and
earlier hematite, tenorite
and chalcocyanite. In this sulphate-chloride zone, OH- and
H2O- bearing minerals play a significant role, unlike in the hottest oxide-sulphate zone (350 to
360°C), in which only anhydrous minerals are present.
Sanguite is common in the sulphate-chloride zone of the fumarole. Some areas contain up to 15 vol% of
this mineral. Sanguite forms prismatic crystals in cavities; the crystals are up to 1 mm long and up to
0.2 mm thick, typically combined in groups, dense clusters or crusts. Some sanguite crusts are up to
several dozens of cm2 in area. Granular aggregates up to 1 mm across in polycomponent chloride
incrustations are also observed. Some cavities up to 0.5 mm in diameter in
basalt scoria are
completely filled by sanguite
(CM 53.4.633-641).
Back to Minerals