| Ammineite | |
|---|---|
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| General | |
| Category | Chloride mineral | 
| Formula (repeating unit)  | CuCl2(NH3)2 | 
| IMA symbol | Amm[1] | 
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic | 
| Crystal class | Dipyramidal (mmm)  H-M symbol: (2/m 2/m 2/m)  | 
| Space group | Cmcm | 
| Unit cell | a = 7.79, b = 10.64  c = 5.84 [Å] (approximated)  | 
| Identification | |
| Color | Blue | 
| Crystal habit | Hypidiomorphic crystals; powdery masses | 
| Mohs scale hardness | 1 | 
| Luster | Vitreous | 
| Streak | Light blue | 
| Specific gravity | 2.38 (calculated) | 
| Pleochroism | Dark blue to light blue | 
| References | [2][3] | 
Ammineite is the first recognized mineral containing ammine groups. Its formula is [CuCl2(NH3)2]. The mineral is chemically pure. It was found in a guano deposit in Chile.[2][3] At the same site other ammine-containing minerals were later found:[4][5][6][7]
- Chanabayaite, CuCl(N3C2H2)(NH3)·0.25H2O (an alternative formula), a triazolate mineral
 - Joanneumite, Cu(C3N3O3H2)2(NH3)2, an isocyanurate mineral
 - Shilovite, Cu(NH3)4(NO3)2
 
Crystal structure
The characteristic features of the structure of ammineite are:[2]
- layers of trans form of the copper complex, parallel to (001), connected by Cu-Cl bonds
 - presence of CuN2Cl4 distorted octahedron ([4+2] coordination)
 - edge-sharing of the octahedra produce zigzag chains along the [001] direction
 - hydrogen bonds between NH3 and Cl atoms
 
Associated minerals
Ammineite coexists with atacamite, darapskite, halite and salammoniac.[2]
Origin
Ammineite is supposed to be a result of an interaction of an earlier copper mineral, likely from a plutonic rock, with ammonia in guano. Ammonia may be produced in decomposition of compounds like urea or uric acid.[2]
References
- ↑ Warr, L.N. (2021). "IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols". Mineralogical Magazine. 85 (3): 291–320. Bibcode:2021MinM...85..291W. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43. S2CID 235729616.
 - 1 2 3 4 5 Bojar, H.-P., Walter, F., Baumgartner, J., and Färber, G. 2010. Ammineite, CuCl2(NH3)2, a new species containing an ammine complex: mineral data and crystal structure. The Canadian Mineralogist 48(6), 1359-1371.
 - 1 2 Mindat, Ammineite, http://www.mindat.org/min-38895.html
 - ↑ Mindat, Pabellón de Pica, http://www.mindat.org/loc-192704.html
 - ↑ Mindat, Chanabayaite, http://www.mindat.org/min-43945.html
 - ↑ Mindat, Joanneumite, http://www.mindat.org/min-42755.html
 - ↑ Mindat, Shilovite, http://www.mindat.org/min-46139.html
 
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