SULPHATES

Mining Engineering of Hasanuddin University

2013-2014

Barit (BaSO4) System

Physical Properties of Barit

Crystal

Orthorhombic

Color

Sometimes transparent, white, red,

green and yellow

Streak

White

Luster

Vitreous (Glassy) to pearly

Cleavage

Perfect

Fracture

Uneven

Hardness 2,5-3,5
Specific

4,5 g/cm3

Gravity
Use

Used for in mud when drilling for oil, in

the paper and rubber industries, and
radiography.

Barit (BaSO4)

Celestite (SrSO4)
Physical Properties of Celestite

Crystal

Orthorhombic

System
Color

Sometimes transparent, pure

white, blue, green and yellow

Streak

White

Luster

Vitreous (Glassy)

Cleavage

Perfect

Fracture

Choncoidal

Hardness 3 - 3,5
Specific

3.95 3,97 g/cm3

Gravity
Use

Used in the manufacture, nuclear

industry, fireworks & flares, paint
and electrical batteries.

Celestite (SrSO4)

Gipsum
(CaSO4 . 2H2O)
Physical Properties of Gipsum

Crystal

Monoclin

System
Color

Sometimes colorless or
transparant, white, gray, red, green
and brown

Streak

White

Luster

Silky luster

Cleavage

Perfect

Fracture

Choncoidal

Hardness 2
Specific

2,32 g/cm3

Gravity
Use

Used in the constructions industry

and as a fertilizers

Gipsum (CaSO4 . 2H2O)

Chalcanthite
(CuSO4 5H2O)

Crystal

Triclin

System
Color

Physical Properties of Chalcanthite

Sometimes green, bluish green,

blue, and dark blue

Streak

White

Luster

Vitreous (Glassy)

Cleavage

Almost Perfect / imperfect

Fracture

Conchoidal

Hardness

2,5

Specific

2.2 - 2.3 g/cm3

Gravity
Use

Used as an ore of copper and as

mineral collection

Chalcanthite (CuSO4 5H2O)

Anglesite
(PbSO4)
Physical Properties of Anglesite

Crystal
System

Trigonal

Color

usually colorless, white and

yellow; also pale gray, blue and
green.

Luster

Vitreous

Streak

White

Cleavage

perfect

Fracture

Conchoidal

Mohs
2,5-3
Hardness
Specific
Gravity

6,4

Uses

as a ingredient for timbal

Glauberite
(Na2Ca(SO4) 2)
Physical Properties of Glauberite

Crystal
System

Monoclinic

Color

ordinarily white, yellow,

gray or colorless

Luster

Vitreous

Streak

White

Cleavage

Perfect

Fracture

conchoidal

Mohs
Hardness

2,5 to 3

Specific
Gravity

2,7to 2,8

Uses

As a material for making

salt Glauber

Thenardite
(Na2SO4)
Physical Properties of Thenardite

Crystal
System

Orthorhombic

Color

Colourless, greyish white,

yellowish, brownish or
reddish

Luster

Vitreous to pearly

Streak

White

Cleavage

Perfect

Fracture

Uneven

Mohs
Hardness

2,5 to 3

Specific
Gravity

2,66

Uses

As a source of sodium to
produce soda

Crystal
System

Trigonal

(KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6)

Color

Usually white, greyish, reddish,

yellowish, or brown

Physical Properties of Alunite

Luster

Vitreous until pearly

Streak

White

Cleavage

distinct

Fracture

conchoidal

Mohs
Hardness

3.5 to 4

Specific
Gravity

2,6 to 2,9

Uses

As the source of manufacture

of alum, potassium, aluminum
in small or low levels

Alunite

Antlerite
(Cu4SO4(OH)4)
Physical Properties of Antlerite

Crystal
system

Orthorhombic

Color

Bright green, through darker

greens to black

Streak

Pale Green

luster

Viltreos

cleavage

perfect

Fracture

Uneven

Hardness

3 3,5

Specivic
Gravity

3,9

Use

as a corrosion product on
outdoor bronze and copper
sculpture

Brochantite
(Cu4SO4(OH)6)
Physical Properties of Brochantite

Crystal
system
Color

Monoclinic
Bright green, through
darker greens to black

Streak

Pale Green

Luster

Vitreous - pearly

Cleavage
Fracture

Perfect
Conchoidal - brittle

Hardness

3,5 4,0

Specific
Gravity
Use

3,97
As an ornament stone
walls and floors of the
building

Anhydrite
(CaSO4)
Physical Properties of Anhydrite

Crystal
system

Orthorhombic

Color

Streak

Colourless, white, bluishwhite, violet white,

brown, gray
White to light gray

Luster

Vitreous - pearly

Cleavage

Nearly Perfect

Fracture

Conchoidal

Hardness

3,0 3,5

Specific
Gravity
Use

3,0
For production of sulfuric
acid, filter in paper, and
ornamental stone

Epsomite
(MgSO4 . 7H2O)
Physical Properties of Epsomite

Crystal
system

Orthorhombic

Color

Colourless to white, gray

or pink, greenish

Streak

White

Luster

Vitreous

Cleavage

Perfect

Fracture

Conchoidal

Hardness

2,0 2,5

Specific
Gravity
Use

1,7
For Epsom salt,
pharmation production,
sugar and paper

Meridianiite
(MgSO4 . 11H2O)
Physical Properties of Meridianiite

Crystal
system

Triclinic

Color

White or clear to
colourless

Streak

White

Luster

Vitreous Dull

Cleavage

Fracture

Hardness

Specific
Gravity
Use

1,5
For Epsom salt,
pharmation production,
sugar and paper
production

Hanksite

Crystal
system

Hexagonal - dipyramidal

Color

Colourless to pale yellow,

grayish greean

Streak

White

Luster

Vitreous Dull

Cleavage

Good

Fracture

Uneven

Hardness

3,0-3,5

Specific
Gravity
Use

2,562

(Na22K(SO4)9(CO3)2Cl)
Physical Properties of Hanksite

Only as mineral
specimens

Linarite
(PbCu[(OH)2|SO4])
Physical Properties of Linarite

Crystal
system

Monoclinic

Color

Bright blue to deep blue

Streak

White to light blue

Luster
Cleavage

Sub Adamantine Vitreous

Perfect

Fracture

Chonchoidal

Hardness

2,5

Specific
Gravity
Use

5,3 5,5
Of interest mainly to
mineralogist and
collectors.

1,5 mm

Copiapite
(Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)220(H2O))

Crystal
system

Triclinic

Color

Streak

Sulfur-yellow to orange
when crystalline, greenishyellow to olive-green when
massive
White to light yellow

Luster

Pearly

Cleavage

Perfect

Fracture

Uneven

Hardness

2,5 3,0

Specific
Gravity
Use

2,04 2,17

Physical Properties of Copiapite

Of interest mainly to
scientists and collectors.

Cyanotrichite
(Cu4Al2[(OH)12|SO4]2H2O)
Physical Properties of Cyanotrichite

3,8 cm

Crystal
system
Color

Orthorhombic
Sky-blue, azure-blue

Streak

White to light blue

Luster

Silky

Cleavage
Fracture

Perfect
Uneven

Hardness

1,0 1,5

Specific
Gravity
Use

2,76
Of interest mainly to
scientists and
collectors.

THANK YOU
Mining Engineering of Hasanuddin University
2013-2014