Outstanding colorless crystals of the very rare iodine mineral bruggenite from one of the few known localities worldwide: Baquedano, Antofagasta Province, Antofagasta Region, Chile. Ex Vandenbroucke Museum collection from Waregem, Belgium. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY 4.0
Brüggenite
Brüggenite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the iodate class, with the chemical formula Ca(IO₃)₂·H₂O.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group P2_1/c).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3.5; specific gravity 4.24; Vitreous luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Brü, IMA status: approved, named in 1970.
Found in veins with nitratine and impregnating the enclosing decomposing rhyolite tuff in a small basin filled with nitrate caliche.
It is found associated with Nitratine, anhydrite, lautarite, hydroboracite, halite.
The mineral was named to honor Professor Juan Brüggen (1887–1953), University of Chile, who wrote the first textbook on the geology of Chile.