:Yellow crystal aggregates of the very rare mineral iodine mineral fuenzalidaite associated to white nitratine and halite. From: Soledad Mine, Pozo Almonte, Pampa de Tamarugal, I Region, Chile. Iodine minerals are very rare in Nature since only 29 Iodine minerals are known of almost 5500 known minerals. — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY-SA 4.0
Fuenzalidaite
Fuenzalidaite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the iodate class, with the chemical formula K₃Na₅Mg₅(IO₃)₆(SO₄)₆·6H₂O.
It crystallizes in the hexagonal crystal system (space group P-3c1).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 2–3; specific gravity 3.284; Vitreous luster; optically uniaxial.
IMA symbol Fzl, IMA status: approved, named in 1993.
A rare constituent of nitrate ores.
It is found associated with Nitratine, halite, probertite, darapskite.
The mineral was named to honor Humberto Fuenzalida P. (1904–1966), first Director of the Chilean School of Geology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.