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Formula: Fe3+(Te4+O3)(OH).H2O
Tellurite
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 3.95 measured, 4.18 calculated
Hardness: 3
Colour: Yellow-green
Solubility: Readily soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid
Environments
Sonoraite is a rare, secondary, tellurium
mineral derived from oxidised, telluride-bearing ores
(Webmin).
Localities
At the type locality, the Moctezuma mine, Moctezuma, Moctezuma Municipality, Sonora, Mexico, sonoraite is a very rare mineral in the
oxide zone of a hydrothermal gold-tellurium ore deposit, associated with emmonsite,
anglesite, limonite and
quartz (HOM). Initially three specimens were found. The first had cavernous
anglesite crystals 0.5 to 1.5 mm across implanted upon crystals of
emmonsite thickly coating a cavity in limonite-stained
quartz. Intimately associated with the emmonsite at the
bottom of the cavity was a group of blade-like single crystals and sheaves of sonoraite 0.5 to 1.0 mm across. In the second specimen,
sheaves of crystals of sonoraite were implanted on limonite-covered
quartz; emmonsite appeared elsewhere on the specimen.
The third specimen had several rosettes of sonoraite implanted on limonite; On some of the
sonoraite rosettes there was a later growth of emmonsite crystals
(AM 53.1818-1832).
Sonoraite from Moctezuma - Image
At Joe Mine, Cochise County, Arizona, USA, sonoraite is associated with rodalquilarite,
emmonsite, jarosite and
limonite
(HOM).
At the Hoosier Mine, Cripple Creek, Cripple Creek Mining District, Teller county, Colorado, USA, sonoraite is very rare as
platy, vitreous, yellow-green crystals to 1 mm in size, with native gold on
gossan
(Minrec 36.2.179).
At the Mohawk Mine, Goldfield, Goldfield Mining District, Esmeralda county, Nevada, USA, sonoraite is associated with
emmonsite
(HOM).
At the Gold Chain Mine, Mammoth, Tintic Mining District, Juab County, Utah, USA, only a few specimens of
Sonoraite from the Gold Chain Mine - Image
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