Paratooite-(La) Locality: Paratoo copper mine, Yunta , Olary Province, South Australia , Australia ( Locality at mindat.org ) Field of view 6 mm. Specimen and photo Leon Hupperichs. My thanks to Volker Hoppe for this very fine exchange specimen. — Photo: Leon Hupperichs · CC BY-SA 3.0
Paratooite-(La)
Paratooite-(La) is a complex lanthanum copper(II) calcium sodium carbonate mineral, representing a unique elemental combination among the known minerals. It is a secondary, weathering mineral. There is a heterovalent diadochy substitution of lanthanum by strontium and calcium; also sodium is substituted by calcium in the mineral. Its structure proved to be more difficult to describe within the initial approach. It was later shown to be a superstructure of another rare earth carbonate mineral, carbocernaite. The "-(La)" suffix in the mineral's name is known as Levinson suffix.
Intro adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
Paratooite-(La) is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the carbonate class, with the chemical formula (La,Ca,Na,Sr)₆Cu(CO₃)₈.
It crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system. It is a member of the Carbocernaite structural group.
Key properties: Mohs hardness 4; specific gravity 3.68; Pale blue streak; Vitreous to pearly luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Pto-La, IMA status: approved, named in 2005.
A secondary weathering mineral in a mineralized dolomitic slatestone cut by chalcopyrite and magnetite-bearing quartz veins.
It is found associated with Kamphaugite-(Y), donnayite-(Y), bastnssite-(La), malachite, nontronite, “limonite”.
The name refers to the locality from which the first specimens were obtained – Paratoo Copper Mine, Australia and the dominant rare earth element, Lanthanum.