Zaratite is a bright emerald green
nickel carbonate mineral with formula Ni
3CO
3(OH)
4·4H
2O. Zaratite crystallizes in the
isometric
The term ''isometric'' comes from the Greek for "having equal measurement".
isometric may mean:
* Cubic crystal system, also called isometric crystal system
* Isometre, a rhythmic technique in music.
* "Isometric (Intro)", a song by Madeon from ...
crystal system as massive to mammillary encrustations and vein fillings. It has a
specific gravity of 2.6 and a
Mohs hardness of 3 to 3.5. It has no
cleavage and is brittle to
conchoidal fracture
Conchoidal fracture describes the way that brittle materials break or fracture when they do not follow any natural planes of separation. Mindat.org defines conchoidal fracture as follows: "a fracture with smooth, curved surfaces, typically slig ...
. The
luster is vitreous to greasy.
It is a rare secondary mineral formed by hydration or alteration of the primary nickel and iron bearing minerals,
chromite
Chromite is a crystalline mineral composed primarily of iron(II) oxide and chromium(III) oxide compounds. It can be represented by the chemical formula of FeCr2O4. It is an oxide mineral belonging to the spinel group. The element magnesium can s ...
,
pentlandite,
pyrrhotite, and
millerite, during the
serpentinization of
ultramafic rocks.
Hellyerite
{{infobox mineral
, name = Hellyerite
, image = Hellyerite-Heazlewoodite-Zaratite-255032.jpg
, imagesize = 260px
, alt =
, caption = Zaratite (emerald-green coating), hellyerite (powder-blue) and heazlewoodite (light ...
, NiCO
3·6H
2O, is a related mineral.
It was found originally in
Galicia
Galicia may refer to:
Geographic regions
* Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain
** Gallaecia, a Roman province
** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia
** The medieval King ...
,
Spain in 1851, and named after Spanish diplomat and dramatist
Antonio Gil y Zárate (1793–1861).
[
]
See also
* Nickel(II) carbonate
References
Carbonate minerals
Cubic minerals
Nickel minerals
{{Carbonate-mineral-stub