Colorless and white microcrystals of the extremely rare Br mineral lucabindiite from the TL and only one of four known localities worldwide (La Fossa Crater, Vulcano Island, Messina Province, Sicily, Italy). — Photo: David Hospital · CC BY 4.0
Lucabindiite
A hexagonal potassium-ammonium arsenic oxide-chloride discovered in 1998 in Vulcano's La Fossa crater.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Lucabindiite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the halide class, with the chemical formula (K,NH₄)As₄O₆(Cl,Br).
It crystallizes in the hexagonal crystal system (space group P622). It is a member of the Lucabindiite structural group.
Key properties: specific gravity 3.68; White streak; Vitreous luster.
IMA symbol Lbd, IMA status: approved, named in 2011.
Occurs as encrustations on pyroclastic breccia around an active volcanic fumarole.
It is found associated with Arsenolite, sal ammoniac, sulfur, amorphous arsenic-rich sulfurite.
The mineral was named to honor Luca Bindi (b. 1971), Professor of Mineralogy and former Head of the Division of Mineralogy, Natural History Museum, University of Florence, Italy.