LAWSONBAUERITE



Lawsonbauerite is a manganese magnesium zinc sulfate hydroxide hydrate mineral and the Mn-analogue of torreyite.
Lawsonbauerite was described by Dunn et al. (1979a) from Sterling Hill; it has not been found at Franklin.
The crystal structure of lawsonbauerite was described by Treiman and Peacor (1982). Lawsonbauerite has brucite-like sheets and composed of octahedrally coordinated Mn and Mg atoms. Two of every nine sites in such sheets are vacant; oxygen atoms at these sites are coordinated to Zn tetrahedra above and below the sheet. The sheets are connected by bonding of these zinc atoms to an interlayer [(Mn,Mg)(OH)2(H2O)4] octahedron. Sulfate groups are loosely held in the interlayer areas. The structure has much similarity to that of mooreite.
Lawsonbauerite occurs as prismatic crystals up to several mm in size and commonly in parallel growth; some such aggregates are slightly similar to those of gageite in morphology, forming hand-and-finger-like shapes.
Lawsonbauerite is colorless to white, but is easily oxidized, and most specimens have brown surficial alterations. Cleavage was not observed in the original description of small crystals, but was later observed by Fred Parker (pers. comm.) and confirmed by [Dunn]. The density is 2.87 g/cm3 (meas.), 2.92 g/cm3 (calc.). There is no discernible fluorescence in ultraviolet.
Lawsonbauerite was found in the 1570E stope, near the 1300 level of Sterling Hill. It is randomly intergrown with severely altered pyrochroite and sussexite and also associated with zincite, calcite, and franklinite. Subsequent to the original discovery, lawsonbauerite was found in substantial amounts on the 900 level at Sterling Hill. (Dunn, 1995)

 Location Found: Ogdensburg (Type Locality), unique to Franklin/Ogdensburg area
     
 
 Year Discovered: 1979
     
 Formula: (Mn2+,Mg)9Zn4(SO4)2(OH)22 · 8H2O
 Essential Elements: Hydrogen, Manganese, Oxygen, Sulfur, Zinc
 All Elements in Formula: Hydrogen, Magnesium, Manganese, Oxygen, Sulfur, Zinc
     
 IMA Status: Approved
     
     
 To find out more about this mineral at minDat's website, follow this link   Lawsonbauerite

     
 References:
Dunn, Pete J. (1995). Franklin and Sterling Hill New Jersey: the world's most magnificent mineral deposits. Franklin, NJ.: The Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society. p.635
The Picking Table References
 PT Issue and PageDescription / Comment
View IssueV. 36, No. 1 - Spring 1995, pg. 14Closest-Packing and Hydrogen Bonds in Minerals of the Franklin Marble, Paul B. Moore - Mooreite and Lawsonbauerite
View IssueV. 25 No. 1 - Spring 1984, pg. 11Mineral Notes Research Reports, Lawsonbauerite and Torreyite
View IssueV. 21, No. 1 - March 1980, pg. 4Mineral Notes Research Reports, Lawsonbauerite
     
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