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Formula: Cu3(AsO4)2.8Hsub>2O
Arsenate, vivianite group
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 3.192 calculated
Hardness: 1½ to 2
Streak: Light pinkish
Colour: Pinkish to peach-coloured
Luminescence: No fluorescence under short wave or long wave UV
Common impurities: Babánekite generally contains Co, Zn, Mg or other, apparently stabilising, divalent
cations replacing Cu
Environments
Babánekite occurs in weathering zones of copper -
arsenic sulphide deposits
Localities
The type locality is the Geister vein, Rovnost Mine, Jáchymov, Karlovy Vary District, Karlovy Vary Region, Czech
Republic. The Jáchymov ore district represents a classic example of a silver
- arsenic - bismuth -
cobalt - nickel -
uranium hydrothermal vein-type deposit.
Babánekite was found in a supergene oxidation zone as
aggregates growing in cavities and on the surface of ore fragments closely associated with members of the
lindackerite supergroup
(lindackerite,
veselovskýite,
hloušekite, pradetite, and
klajite), lavendulan,
gypsum, and an unidentified amorphous phase. These minerals crystallise on
the strongly altered ore-body consisting mainly of massive tennantite,
galena and chalcopyrite with
disseminated uraninite in quartz.
Babánekite crystals are pinkish to peach-colored, elongated, and prismatic up to 1.5 mm in length
(AM 103.1711-1712).
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