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Formula: Al(VO4).3H2O
Hydrated vanadate
Crystal System: Monoclinic
Specific gravity: 2.52 to 2.58 measured, 2.58 calculated
Hardness: 2½ to 3
Colour: Canary-yellow, greenish yellow, olive-green
Solubility: Readily soluble in dilute mineral acids forming a deep cherry-red solution; insoluble in water
Environments
Sedimentary environments
Metamorphic environments
Hydrothermal environments
Steigerite is a secondary mineral occurring either as
impregnations in sandstone or as a weathering product from
vanadium-rich schist
(Mindat).
Localities
At the Balasauskandyk V Deposit, Shieli, Kyzylorda Region, Kazakhstan and the Kurumsak V Deposit, Aksumbe, Turkistan
Region, Kazakhstan, in several mines in these areas steigerite occurs as a weathering product in
vanadium-rich schist.
Associated minerals include vanalite,
hewettite, delvauxite,
satpaevite, gypsum,
vashegyite, variscite,
halloysite and alunite
(HOM).
At the Monument No. 2 Mine, Monument No. 2 channel, Yazzie Mesa, Cane Valley Mining District, Apache County, Arizona,
USA, steigerite is associated with navajoite,
tyuyamunite, rauvite and
hewettite
(HOM).
At the type locality, the Sullivan Brothers claims, Gypsum Valley Mining District, San Miguel County, Colorado, USA,
bright yellow, powdery steigerite was found in the uranium and
vanadium claims coating cracks in nodular concretions of
corvusite in the sandstone.
Steigerite, fervanite and
gypsum fill the minute fractures in the
corvusite concentrations and are the last
vanadium minerals deposited. It appears that the following sequence of
vanadium minerals occurred:
Vanoxite → corvusite
→ steigerite → fervanite
(AM 20.769-772)).
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