The Subclasses Of The Sulfates Class

Which include the Chromates, the Molybdenates, the Selenates and Selenites, the Tellurates and Tellurites, the Tungstates and the Sulfites.



The Sulfate subclasses include many exotic minerals with only a few minerals that are familiar even to most collectors. The basic chemical unit is the (AO4) complex anion with a charge of negative two (-2). The selenites and tellurites (notice the spelling) have a basic unit of (AO3). There are also some members of these subclasses with a basic anion unit of (AO6) The A can be either chromium (Cr), tungsten (W), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te) and/or molybdenium (Mo). The principle anion group never shares oxygens with other principle anion groups and this limits the structural possibilities. The A atom at the center of the AO4 anion has a positive six charge (+6) and the oxygens have their obligatory negative two charge (-2). The AO4 anions form symmetrical tetrahedrons when A is either chromium and flattened tetrahedrons when A is either molybdenium, selenium, tellurium or tungsten. The flattened tetrahedrons form a square outline and help produce (in many of those minerals) a tetragonal (four fold) symmetry, which is an uncommon symmetry in minerals. The typical Sulfate Class mineral is vitreous, average to above average in density, average in hardness and are originally formed in veins, oxidation zones, contact metamorphic zones and in evaporite deposits. Some Sulfate Class minerals are soluble and several are fluorescent. All other properties are variable.


Subclass: Chromates


Subclass: Molybdenates


Subclass: Selenates (SeO4) and Selenites (SeO3)


Subclass: Tellurates (TeO4) and Tellurites (TeO3)


Subclass: Tungstates


Subclass: Sulfites (SO3)



Much information for this page provided by the Mineralogy Database
 

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