4) Sedimentary, near-surface, & weathering minerals        G 232

Oxides

hematite

(hehm'-uh-tight)

Fe2O3

1) as a cement in sandstones, 2) sedimentary iron formations (usually metamorphosed), 3) accessory mineral in igneous rocks, 4) hydrothermal veins, 5) altered/oxidized zones in ore deposits

quartz, magnetite, Fe bearing sulfides, Fe-rich silicates, Mn-rich minerals

Special comments: most important ore of iron.  Extremely common. 

pyrolusite

MnO2

1) secondary mineral formed in cracks, coatings on surfaces, as nodules, and in beds

barite, limonite, romanechite, hematite, magnetite, other Fe & Mn oxides

Hydroxides

manganite

MnO(OH)

1) secondary veins

Mn oxides and hydroxides, carbonate minerals, limonite, barite

goethite

(gay'-thight, etc.)

FeO(OH)

extremely common secondary mineral found in 1) sediments, 2) gossans, 3) laterites

siderite, pyrite, magnetite, and many others

(bauxite)

mixture: diaspore, gibbsite, and boehmite—all are Al hydroxides 

1) secondary, as a product of intense weathering leading to aluminous soils

bauxite normally contains gibbsite, diaspore, and boehmite; limonite

(limonite)

mixture: hydrous iron oxides

1) forms under oxidizing conditions near the surface from iron rich minerals

siderite, pyrite, magnetite, and many others

Term for natural hydrous iron oxides.  May be amorphous, commonly mostly goethite.

romanechite

Ba-Mn hydroxide, usually mixed with other Mn oxides and hydroxides.

1) secondary mineral in near-surface deposits

pyrolusite, manganite, calcite, hematite

A hard, botryoidal mixture was formerly called psilomelane.  A soft mixture has been called wad.

Sulfates

barite

BaSO4 

1) gangue mineral in hydrothermal veins, 2) veins in limestone, 3) residual in clays

fluorite, galena, quartz, calcite, dolomite, clay minerals

Carbonates

calcite

CaCO3

1) limestone and marble, 2) cave deposits, 3) vein mineral with other carbonates, sulfates, and sulfides, 4) cement in clastic sedimentary rocks, 5) in rare igneous rocks (carbonatites), 6) weathering product, 7) shells & skeletal material, 8) wide variety of metamorphic rocks at low to medium grade

quartz, aragonite, dolomite, sulfide and sulfate minerals, clay minerals, many metamorphic minerals (phyllosilicates, feldspar, oxides) at low to medium grade

aragonite

CaCO3

1) disseminated in gypsum beds, 2) hot spring deposits, 3) in sedimentary Fe ore deposits, 4) oxidized zones within ore deposits, 5) cave formations, 6) blueschist facies metamorphic rocks, 7) shells and other organic carbonate material

gypsum, siderite, celestite, sulfur, limonite, calcite, malachite, azurite, smithsonite, cerussite

dolomite

CaMg(CO3)2

1) carbonate sedimentary rocks, 2) hydrothermal veins, 3) alteration after calcite

calcite and other carbonates, fluorite, barite, quartz

siderite

FeCO3

1) sulfide veins, 2) primary in various sedimentary rocks, 3) replacement mineral in limestone, 4) low T metamorphic rocks

galena, pyrite, chalcopyrite, tetrahedrite, clay minerals, calcite, low T metamorphic minerals