Named in 1885 by Horace L. Wells and Samuel Lewis Penfield in honor of Charles Frédéric Gerhardt [August 21, 1816 Strassburg Germany - August 19, 1856 Strasbourg, Germany], who first prepared the artificial compound, in addition to many other achievements. Gerhardt studied organic chemistry under Justus von Liebig and Jean Baptiste Dumas. Gerhardt also worked with Auguste Cahours and Michel Eugène Chevreul in Paris. Gerhardt proposed some important changes in chemical formula notation that were controversial in the time period. After several laboratory assignments and private work as a scientific book translator (primarily of Liebig's works), Gerhardt became professor at University of Montpellier in Montpellier, France in 1844-1851. In 1854, Gerhardt became professor of chemistry in the École Polytechnique at Strassburg. Gerhardt wrote the important four volume book, Traité de chimie organique, but did not live to see its publication as he died from accidentally being poisoned by one of his experiments.

Type Locality:

ⓘ United Verde Mine, Jerome, Verde Mining District, Black Hills (Black Hill Range), Yavapai County, Arizona, USA

Dimorph of:

'Rouaite'

An uncommon secondary copper nitrate.

Easy to confuse with its dimorph rouaite (both have very similar X-ray powder diffraction patterns).

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

1680

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:1680:9

IMA Classification of GerhardtiteHide

IMA status:

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)

Classification of GerhardtiteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

5.NB.05

5 : CARBONATES (NITRATES)
N : NITRATES
B : With OH

Dana 7th ed.:

19.1.1.1

Dana 8th ed.:

19.1.1.1

19 : NITRATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
1 : Anhydrous Nitrates Containing Hydroxyl or Halogen

Hey's CIM Ref.:

13.3

13 : Nitrates

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Symbol	Source	Reference for Standard
Ghd	IMA–CNMNC	Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43

Physical Properties of GerhardtiteHide

Lustre:

Vitreous, Sub-Vitreous, Greasy

Transparency:

Transparent

Colour:

Emerald Green

Streak:

Light green

Hardness:

2 on Mohs scale

Tenacity:

Flexible

Cleavage:

Perfect
On {001} perfect; on {100} good.

Density:

3.4 - 3.43 g/cm³ (Measured) 3.389 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of GerhardtiteHide

Type:

Biaxial (+)

RI values:

n_α = 1.703 n_β = 1.713 n_γ = 1.722

2V:

Measured: 85° , Calculated: 86°

Birefringence:

0.019

Max. Birefringence:

δ = 0.019
Based on recorded range of RI values above.

Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.

Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.

Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars.

Surface Relief:

Moderate

Dispersion:

r < v very strong

Pleochroism:

Visible

Comments:

X = Green
Y = Green
Z = Blue

Chemistry of GerhardtiteHide

Mindat Formula:

Cu₂(NO₃)(OH)₃

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
Cu	52.929 %
O	39.979 %
N	5.833 %
H	1.259 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

Cu, H, N, O - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of GerhardtiteHide

Crystal System:

Orthorhombic

Class (H-M):

222 - Disphenoidal

Space Group:

P2₁2₁2₁

Cell Parameters:

a = 6.087(2) Å, b = 13.813(4) Å, c = 5.597(2) Å

Ratio:

a:b:c = 0.441 : 1 : 0.405

Unit Cell V:

470.59 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

Crystals thick tabular {001}. Strongly striated on the pyramid zone. Faces often in oscillatory combination. Crystals flexible, with separation along {100}.

Crystal StructureHide

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Unit Cell | Unit Cell Packed
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure

ID	Species	Reference	Link	Year	Locality	Pressure (GPa)	Temp (K)
0013022	Gerhardtite	Bovio B, Locchi S (1982) Crystal structure of the orthorhombic basic copper nitrate, Cu2(OH)3NO3 Journal of Crystallographic and Spectroscopic Research 12 507-517	1982	Kalabi, Jadotville, Katanga	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
6.91 Å	(100)
4.561 Å	(10)
4.351 Å	(10)
4.121 Å	(50)
3.950 Å	(10)
3.539 Å	(50)
3.454 Å	(60)
3.070 Å	(10)
3.038 Å	(20)
3.006 Å	(20)
2.939 Å	(20)
2.797 Å	(60)
2.785 Å	(10)
2.743 Å	(30)
2.669 Å	(60)
2.624 Å	(80)
2.595 Å	(70)
2.541 Å	(10)
2.520 Å	(20)
2.493 Å	(50)
2.391 Å	(40)
2.310 Å	(80)
2.174 Å	(50)
2.155 Å	(20)
2.114 Å	(30)
2.006 Å	(5)
1.973 Å	(10b)
1.923 Å	(60)
1.875 Å	(5)
1.852 Å	(20b)
1.838 Å	(5)
1.780 Å	(40b)
1.742 Å	(5)
1.727 Å	(30)
1.708 Å	(20)
1.589 Å	(40)
1.579 Å	(80)
1.569 Å	(20)
1.550 Å	(20)

Comments:

ICDD 14-687

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 10a: Neoproterozoic oxygenation/terrestrial biosphere	<0.6
52 : Guano- and urine-derived minerals	<0.4
Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals	<10 Ka
56 : Slag and smelter minerals (see also #51 and #55)

Geological Setting:

Oxidation zone of copper deposits

Type Occurrence of GerhardtiteHide

Type Locality:

ⓘ United Verde Mine, Jerome, Verde Mining District, Black Hills (Black Hill Range), Yavapai County, Arizona, USA

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

Yale University

Other Language Names for GerhardtiteHide

Dutch:Gerhardtiet

German:Gerhardtit

Russian:Герхардтит

Spanish:Gerhardtita

Common AssociatesHide

Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:

17 photos of Gerhardtite associated with Cuprite	Cu₂O
14 photos of Gerhardtite associated with Malachite	Cu₂(CO₃)(OH)₂
10 photos of Gerhardtite associated with Brochantite	Cu₄(SO₄)(OH)₆
10 photos of Gerhardtite associated with Buttgenbachite	Cu₁₉(NO₃)₂(OH)₃₂Cl₄ · 2H₂O
9 photos of Gerhardtite associated with Likasite	Cu₃(NO₃)(OH)₅ · 2H₂O
6 photos of Gerhardtite associated with Rouaite	Cu₂(NO₃)(OH)₃
5 photos of Gerhardtite associated with Native Copper	Cu
3 photos of Gerhardtite associated with Azurite	Cu₃(CO₃)₂(OH)₂
2 photos of Gerhardtite associated with Betekhtinite	Pb₂(Cu,Fe)_22-24S₁₅
2 photos of Gerhardtite associated with Olivenite	Cu₂(AsO₄)(OH)

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

5.NB.	Nitroplumbite	[Pb₄(OH)₄](NO₃)₄	Mon. m
5.NB.05	Rouaite	Cu₂(NO₃)(OH)₃	Mon. 2 : P2₁

Fluorescence of GerhardtiteHide

In UV light:

Not fluorescent in UV

Other InformationHide

Notes:

Insoluble in water. Soluble in dilute acids.

Health Risks:

No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.

Internet Links for GerhardtiteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-1680.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

Look for Gerhardtite on Webmineral

Look for Gerhardtite on Wikipedia

Look for Gerhardtite on Mineralien Atlas

Raman and XRD data at RRUFF project

References and PDF downloads at RRUFF project

American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database

Handbook of Mineralogy page PDF

Mineral Dealers:

Buy from McDougall Minerals

The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals

Buy from D. Joyce minerals

References for GerhardtiteHide

Reference List:

Helv. Chim. Acta: 35: 375-390.

Wells and Penfield (1885) American Journal of Science: 30: 50.

Lindgren and Hillebrand (1904) American Journal of Science: 18: 448.

Thoreau (1923) Société géologique de Belgique, Liége, Annales: 46: B 285.

Larsen, E.S. and Berman, H. (1934) The Microscopic Determination of the Nonopaque Minerals, Second edition, USGS Bulletin 848: 129, 190.

Palache, Charles, Berman, Harry, Frondel, Clifford (1951) The System of Mineralogy (7th ed.) Vol. 2 - Halides, Nitrates, Borates, Carbonates, Sulfates, Phosphates, Arsenates, Tungstates, Molybdates, Ect. John Wiley and Sons, New York.pp.308-309

Kohler, K. (1955): Röntgenographische Untersuchungen an Gerhardtit. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Kristallgeometrie, Kristallphysik, Kristallchemie 106, 474-475.

Oswald, H. R. (1961) Über natürlichen und künstlichen Gerhardtit. Zeitschrift für Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials, 116 (3) 210-219 doi:10.1524/zkri.1961.116.3-6.210

Bovio, B. & Locchi, S. (1982): Crystal structure of the orthorhombic basic copper nitrate, Cu2(OH)3NO3. J. Cryst. Spectr. Res. 12, 507-517.

Tanaka, H.; Terada, S. (1993): Preparation and thermal decomposition of synthetic gerhardtite copper hydroxide nitrate (Cu2(OH)3NO3). Journal of Thermal Analysis 39, 1011-1018.

Guillou, N., Louër, M., Louër, D. (1994) High Temperature X-Ray and Neutron Powder Diffraction Study of a Phase Transition in Copper Hydroxide Nitrate. Materials Science Forum, 166. 559-564 doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/msf.166-169.559

(2005) Gerhardtite. Handbook of Mineralogy. Mineralogical Society of America

Melchiorre, E. B., Williams, P. A., Rose, T. P., Talyn, B. C. (2006) Biogenic nitrogen from termite mounds and the origin of gerhardtite at the Great Australia Mine, Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia. The Canadian Mineralogist, 44 (6). 1447-1455 doi:10.2113/gscanmin.44.6.1447

Samie, Farid; Tidblad, Johan; Kucera, Vladimir; Leygraf, Christofer (2007): Atmospheric corrosion effects of HNO3. Influence of temperature and relative humidity on laboratory-exposed copper. Atmospheric Environment 41, 1374-1382.

Yoder, C. H., Bushong, E., Liu, X., Weidner, V., McWilliams, P., Martin, K., Lorgunpai, J., Haller, J., Schaeffer, R. W. (2010) The synthesis and solubility of the copper hydroxyl nitrates: gerhardtite, rouaite and likasite. Mineralogical Magazine, 74 (3) 433-440 doi:10.1180/minmag.2010.074.3.433

Localities for GerhardtiteHide

Showing 31 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the 👁 Image
symbol to view information about a locality. The 👁 Image
symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.

Locality ListHide

👁 Image
- This locality has map coordinates listed. 👁 Image
- This locality has estimated coordinates. ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence. ? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality. 👁 Image
- Good crystals or important locality for species. 👁 Image
- World class for species or very significant. (TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species. (FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties). ~~Struck out~~ - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality. Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).

All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.

Australia
Queensland Cloncurry Shire Cloncurry ⓘ Great Australia Mine	Wallace et al. (1990) +2 other references
ⓘ B Tangye Lode	Sharpe et al. (2000)
Chile
Atacama Copiapó Province Copiapó Cachiyuyo de Llampos mining district Carrera Pinto ⓘ San Samuel Mine ("San Manuel Mine")	Gerhard Möhn Collection Analyzed by ...
Quebrada San Miguel ⓘ Los Azules mine	Terry Szenics
Tarapacá Tamarugal Province Pica Collahuasi mining district ⓘ Quebrada Blanca Mine	Teck Resources Limited
DR Congo
Haut-Katanga Kambove Territory Likasi ⓘ Likasi Mine	Palache et al. (1951) +1 other reference
Luambo ⓘ Kalabi Mine	Oswald (1961)
Lualaba ⓘ Tenke-Fungurume area	Personal communication from Jasun ...
ⓘ Tenke Mine	personal communication from Jasun ...
France
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Rhône Villefranche-sur-Saône Chessy Chessy copper mines ⓘ Chessy slags	Y. Vessely collection
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Alpes-Maritimes Nice Arrondissement Daluis ⓘ Roua Mines (Clue de Roua)	Riviéra Scientifique:85:3-12 (15 Oct 2001) +1 other reference
Germany
Baden-Württemberg Freiburg Region Ortenaukreis Oberwolfach ⓘ Clara Mine	Kolitsch et al. (2010)
North Rhine-Westphalia Arnsberg Hochsauerlandkreis Bestwig Ramsbeck ⓘ Bastenberg Mine	Weiß (1990)
Siegen-Wittgenstein Burbach ⓘ Schöne Aussicht Mine
Hungary
Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County Kazincbarcika District ⓘ Rudabánya	Collector:Koller G.-Analysed by ...
Italy
Tuscany Livorno Province Campiglia Marittima ⓘ Madonna di Fucinaia (Madonna della Fucinaia) slag heaps	Luigi Chiappino
Piombino ⓘ Baratti slag locality	Franzini et al. (1992)
Kazakhstan
Karaganda Region ⓘ Dzhezkazgan mining district	first finds in the USSR. Novye Dannye o Mineralakh SSSR et al. (in Russian) +2 other references
Morocco
Drâa-Tafilalet Region Zagora Province Agdz Cercle Bou Skour mining district ⓘ	Favreau (n.d.)
Poland
Silesian Voivodeship Tarnowskie Góry County Miasteczko Śląskie ⓘ HC Miasteczko Śląskie S.A. Zinc Smelting Plant	Nowinska (2020)
Spain
Andalusia Almería Huércal-Overa Cuesta Alta Cerro Minado Mines ⓘ La Cena del Depósito concession 👁 Image	in Spanish version (Revista de Minerales) +1 other reference
Ukraine
Crimea Pereval'noye Village area ⓘ Kizil-Koba canyon	Geologiya SSSR (The geology of USSR)
USA
Arizona Greenlee County ⓘ Copper Mountain Mining District (Clifton-Morenci Mining District)	Anthony et al. (1995)
Gila Hot Springs Mining District ⓘ Chase Creek Canyon (Chase Creek Cañon)	Lindgren (1904) +5 other references
ⓘ Metcalf	Merritt Stephen Enders (2000)
Maricopa County Osborn Mining District Tonopah Belmont Mountain ⓘ Tonopah-Belmont Mine	Raman analyzed at the University of ...
Pima County Sierrita Mountains Pima Mining District San Xavier Mission complex Mineral Hill Mineral Hill Mines (Azurite group; Old Azurite Mine; Copper Glance Mine) ⓘ Daisy Mine (Daisy shaft)	Williams (1961) +1 other reference
Yavapai County Black Hills (Black Hill Range) Verde Mining District Jerome ⓘ United Verde Mine (TL)	Dana 6: 1094 +4 other references
Michigan Ontonagon County ⓘ Greenland Township	Thorne (n.d.)
Mass City ⓘ Caledonia Mine	Morris (1983) +2 other references
Utah San Juan County Red Canyon Mining District ⓘ Blue Lizard Mine	Journal of Geosciences (2015) +1 other reference

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Gerhardtite

About GerhardtiteHide