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Formula: Mg(SO4).4H2O
Hydrated sulphate mineral, rozenite group
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 2 measured, 2.007 calculated
Hardness: 2 to 3
Streak: White
Colour: White to very pale yellow or pale greeenish white
Solubility: Soluble in water
Environments
Sedimentary environments
Hydrothermal environments
Starkeyite is a secondary mineral sometimes found in
the oxidised zone of sulphide mineral deposits, resulting from the decomposition of
pyrite and marcasite. It may form
from the dehydration of hexahydrite
(Mindat).
Localities
At the Great Konya Basin, Konya Province, Turkey, starkyite is associated with
konyaite, blödite,
gypsum and halite
(HOM).
At the Alta Mine, Low Divide, Low Divide Mining District, Klamath Mountains, Del Norte County, California, USA, a
starkeyite-bearing specimen was collected in a dump area at the now-defunct
troilite mine. The starkeyite occurs mainly as a cream-coloured
fine-grained efflorescence on troilite, but also forms veins in it
(CM 12.3.229-229).
At the type locality, the Starkey Mine, Madison County, Missouri, USA, starkeyite occurs as a dull white
powdery efflorescence on dump material from a pyrite deposit in
dolomite
(Mindat).
At the Goldstrike Mines, Nevada, USA, starkeyite is associated with
szomolnokite and gunningite
(HOM).
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