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Formula: Zn(SO4).H2O
Hydrated sulphate, kieserite group
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 3.195 measured, 3.369 calculated
Hardness: 2½
Streak: White
Colour: White to colourless
Solubility: Rapidly soluble in cold water
Environments
Gunningite is of rare occurrence in dry areas of the oxidised portions of
sphalerite-bearing deposits; it also occurs as a post-mining
efflorescence on museum specimens
(HOM).
It may originate as a dehydration product of boyleite
(Mindat).
Localities
At the Willett mine, near Lardeau, Revelstoke Mining Division, British Columbia, Canada, gunningite is
associated with woodruffite and smithsonite
(HOM).
There are two co-type localities, the Hector-Calumet mine, Calumet, Galena Hill, and the Comstock-Keno Mine,
Keno Hill, both in the Mayo mining district, Yukon, Canada.
At the Hector-Calumet mine, Calumet, Galena Hill, Mayo mining district, Yukon, Canada
At the Comstock-Keno Mine, Keno Hill, Mayo mining district, Yukon, Canada, the deposits are veins and lodes in
faults that cut quartzite, phyllite, schist and greenstone.
The principal primary minerals are siderite, quartz, galena, sphalerite,
chalcopyrite, pyrite, arsenopyrite and freibergite. These are altered in
the zones of oxidation to limonite, various hydrous manganese oxides, scorodite, jarosite, beudantite, bindheimite,
cerussite, malachite,
azurite, smithsonite, anglesite and gypsum. In addition some native
silver, pyrargyrite and hawleyite occur in both the zones of oxidation
and reduction.
The gunningite is generally found closely associated with incipiently
oxidised sphalerite in the veins and lodes and on the old mine dumps. In
the deposits the mineral is present in those parts that are relatively dry,
and on the dumps the gunningtonite appears on the oxidising sphalerite after
long periods of hot dry weather. In all occurrences the mineral appears
as delicate efflorescences directly on the surface of sphalerite, or as
efflorescences on limonite, scorodite, gypsum, and other supergene
minerals closely associated with the zinc sulphide.
The Canadian Mineralogist: 7: 209-218.
At Les Valettes, Mont Chemin mining district, Martigny, Valais, Switzerland, gunningite is associated with
boyleite,
coquimbite, zincocopiapite, jarosite, melanterite, r¨omerite, siderotil, voltaite, chalcanthite,
hexahydrite, gypsum (Les Vallettes, Switzerland).
HOM
Goldstrike Mines, Nevada, USA
szomolnokite, starkeyite, anhydrite, gypsum (Goldstrike mine, Nevada, USA);
HOM
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