Sonoraite Locality: Moctezuma Mine (Bambolla Mine), Moctezuma , Municipio de Moctezuma , Sonora , Mexico ( Locality at mindat.org ) Sheaves of sonoraite plates. Field of view 2mm x 3mm. Christian Rewitzer specimen and photograph. — Photo: Christian Rewitzer · CC BY-SA 3.0
Sonoraite
Sonoraite is an IMA-recognized mineral species in the oxides & hydroxide class, with the chemical formula Fe³⁺(Te⁴⁺O₃)(OH)·H₂O.
It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system (space group P2_1/c).
Key properties: Mohs hardness 3; specific gravity 3.95; Vitreous luster; optically biaxial.
IMA symbol Son, IMA status: approved, named in 1968.
A very rare mineral found in the oxide zone of a hydrothermal Au–Te ore deposit (Moctezuma mine, Mexico).
It is found associated with Emmonsite, anglesite, “limonite”, quartz (Moctezuma mine, Mexico); emmonsite (Mohawk mine, Nevada, USA); rodalquilarite, emmonsite, jarosite.
The name refers to the state of Sonora, Mexico, in which the mineral was first found.