Named by Carl Lausen in 1928 in honor of Gurdon Montague "Monty" Butler (March 26, 1881 Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, USA - February 21, 1961 California, USA), mining geologist and professor, University of Arizona. The Butler Mountains of Camino del Diablo, Arizona were also named for Gurdon Montague Butler.

Type Locality:

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

Polymorph of:

'Khangalasite', Parabutlerite

Compare the anhydrous counterpart: 'Unnamed (Fe Sulphate Hydroxide)'.

Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:

810

Long-form identifier:

mindat:1:1:810:5

IMA Classification of ButleriteHide

IMA status:

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

Classification of ButleriteHide

Strunz-mindat (2026):

7.DC.10

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
D : Sulfates (selenates, etc.) with additional anions, with H₂O
C : With only medium-sized cations; chains of edge-sharing octahedra

Dana 8th ed.:

31.9.1.1

31 : HYDRATED SULFATES CONTAINING HYDROXYL OR HALOGEN
9 : (AB)(XO₄)Z_q·xH₂O

Hey's CIM Ref.:

25.10.15

25 : Sulphates
10 : Sulphates of Fe alone

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
Btl	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 ButleriteHide

Lustre:

Vitreous

Transparency:

Translucent

Colour:

Dark orange; light yellow-orange in transmitted light.

Streak:

Pale yellow

Hardness:

2½ on Mohs scale

Cleavage:

Perfect
On {100}, perfect. another cleavage direction (pinacoidal) is imperfect.

Density:

2.548 g/cm³ (Measured) 2.53 g/cm³ (Calculated)

Optical Data of ButleriteHide

Type:

Biaxial (+/-)

RI values:

n_α = 1.593 - 1.604 n_β = 1.665 - 1.674 n_γ = 1.731 - 1.741

Birefringence:

moderately high

Max. Birefringence:

δ = 0.137 - 0.138
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 weak

Optical Extinction:

Z = b; X ∧ c = –18°.

Pleochroism:

Visible

Comments:

X = Colourless; Y = Faint yellow; Z = Light yellow.

Comments:

2V large.

Chemistry of ButleriteHide

Mindat Formula:

Fe³⁺(SO₄)(OH) · 2H₂O

Element Weights:

Element	% weight
O	54.647 %
Fe	27.249 %
S	15.646 %
H	2.459 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.

Elements listed:

Fe, H, O, S - search for minerals with similar chemistry

Crystallography of ButleriteHide

Crystal System:

Monoclinic

Class (H-M):

2/m - Prismatic

Space Group:

P2₁/m

Setting:

P2₁/m

Cell Parameters:

a = 6.51 Å, b = 7.37 Å, c = 5.85 Å
β = 108.87°

Ratio:

a:b:c = 0.883 : 1 : 0.794

Unit Cell V:

265.59 Å³ (Calculated from Unit Cell)

Morphology:

Crystals commonly tabular {001} or {100} with a propensity for elongation [010]; also octahedral (anthropogenic).

Twinning:

Very common on {105}.

Crystal StructureHide

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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)
0000232	Butlerite	Fanfani L, Nunzi A, Zanazzi P F (1971) The crystal structure of butlerite American Mineralogist 56 751-757	👁 Image	1971	0	293

CIF Raw Data - click here to close

Epitaxial Relationships of ButleriteHide

Epitaxial Minerals:

'Parabutlerite'

Fe³⁺(SO₄)(OH) · 2H₂O

Epitaxy Comments:

Oriented growths.

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Powder Diffraction Data:

d-spacing	Intensity
4.97 Å	(FF)
3.15 Å	(F)
3.59 Å	(mF)
3.05 Å	(mF)
3.22 Å	(mf)
2.48 Å	(mf)
6.17 Å	(ff)

Comments:

United Verde mine, Arizona, USA. Data from Cesbron (1964).

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):

Paragenetic Mode	Earliest Age (Ga)
Stage 7: Great Oxidation Event	<2.4
45a : [Sulfates, arsenates, selenates, antimonates]
47a : [Near-surface hydration of prior minerals]
47b : [Sulfates and sulfites]
Stage 10b: Anthropogenic minerals	<10 Ka
55 : Anthropogenic mine minerals

Geological Setting:

Oxidation of pyritic ore; may be formed under pseudo-fumarolic
conditions from mine fires.

Type Occurrence of ButleriteHide

Type Locality:

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

General Appearance of Type Material:

Coatings on rock and as cement, binding them together. Where the coatings are thin, individual crystals to 1 mm.

Place of Conservation of Type Material:

University of Arizona Mineral Museum, Tucson, Arizona, M52; Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 90539; National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, 95953.

Geological Setting of Type Material:

Oxidation of pyrite in a mine fire with reactions to fire fighting techniques (water, steam, CO2).

Associated Minerals at Type Locality:

Copiapite

Other Language Names for ButleriteHide

Dutch:Butleriet

German:Butlerit

Russian:Бутлерит

Spanish:Butlerita

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:

21 photos of Butlerite associated with Copiapite	Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₄(SO₄)₆(OH)₂ · 20H₂O
19 photos of Butlerite associated with Pyrite	FeS₂
9 photos of Butlerite associated with Parabutlerite	Fe³⁺(SO₄)(OH) · 2H₂O
6 photos of Butlerite associated with Botryogen	MgFe³⁺(SO₄)₂(OH) · 7H₂O
2 photos of Butlerite associated with Fibroferrite	Fe³⁺(SO₄)(OH) · 5H₂O
2 photos of Butlerite associated with 'Unnamed (Pb-Cu Oxide)'	PbCu₂O₂
2 photos of Butlerite associated with Aragonite	CaCO₃
1 photo of Butlerite associated with 'Unnamed (Fe Sulphate Hydroxide)'	Fe(SO₄)(OH)
1 photo of Butlerite associated with Voltaite	K₂Fe²⁺₅Fe³⁺₃Al(SO₄)₁₂ · 18H₂O
1 photo of Butlerite associated with Aubertite	CuAl(SO₄)₂Cl · 14H₂O

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide

7.DC.05	Meta-aluminite	Al₂(SO₄)(OH)₄ · 5H₂O	Mon. 2/m
7.DC.05	Aluminite	Al₂(SO₄)(OH)₄ · 7H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
7.DC.10	Parabutlerite	Fe³⁺(SO₄)(OH) · 2H₂O	Orth. mmm(2/m2/m2/m)
7.DC.15	Fibroferrite	Fe³⁺(SO₄)(OH) · 5H₂O	Trig. 3 : R3
7.DC.20	Xitieshanite	Fe³⁺(SO₄)Cl · 6H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/b
7.DC.25	Zincobotryogen	(Zn,Mg,Mn²⁺)Fe³⁺(SO₄)₂(OH) · 7H₂O	Mon. 2/m
7.DC.25	Botryogen	MgFe³⁺(SO₄)₂(OH) · 7H₂O	Mon. 2/m
7.DC.30	Chaidamuite	ZnFe³⁺(SO₄)₂(OH) · 4H₂O	Tric. 1 : P1
7.DC.30	Guildite	CuFe³⁺(SO₄)₂(OH) · 4H₂O	Mon. 2/m : P2₁/m
7.DC.40	Pauladamsite	Cu₄(SeO₃)(SO₄)(OH)₄ · 2H₂O	Tric. 1 : P1
7.DC.45	Riotintoite	Al(SO₄)(OH) · 3H₂O	Tric. 1 : P1
7.DC.50	Thorneite	Pb₆(Te⁶⁺₂O₁₀)(CO₃)Cl₂(H₂O)	Mon. 2/m : B2/b
7.DC.55	Vendidaite	Al₂(SO₄)(OH)₃Cl · 6H₂O	Mon. 2/m : B2/b

Other InformationHide

Notes:

Soluble in water.

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 ButleriteHide

mindat.org URL:

https://www.mindat.org/min-810.html
Please feel free to link to this page.

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External Links:

Look for Butlerite on Webmineral

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Look for Butlerite 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:

The Arkenstone - Fine Minerals

Buy from D. Joyce minerals

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References for ButleriteHide

Reference List:

Posnjak, E.; Merwin, H. E. (1922) The system, Fe2O3—SO3—H2O. Journal Of The American Chemical Society, 44 (9). 1965-1994 doi:10.1021/ja01430a016

Lausen, C. (1928), Hydrous sulphates formed under fumerolic conditions at the United Verde mine, American Mineralogist: 13: 203-229

Bandy, Mark C. (1938) Mineralogy of three sulphate deposits of northern Chile. American Mineralogist, 23 (11) 669-760

Gordon (1941) Academy of Sciences, Philadelphia, Not. Nat., no. 89.

Fleischer, M. (1942) New mineral names. American Mineralogist, 27 (2). 144

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.608-609

Cesbron, Fabien (1964) Contribution à la Minéralogie des sulfates de fer hydratés. Bulletin de Minéralogie, 87 (2) 125-143 doi:10.3406/bulmi.1964.5721

Fanfani, L., Nunzi, A., Zanazzi, P. F. (1971) The crystal structure of butlerite. American Mineralogist, 56 (5-6) 751-757

Rossman, George R. (1976) Spectroscopic and magnetic studies of ferric iron hydroxy sulfates: the series Fe(OH)SO4·nH2O and the jarosites. American Mineralogist, 61 (5-6) 398-404

Scordari, F. (1981) Fibroferrite: a mineral with a {Fe(OH)(H2O)2SO4} spiral chain and its relationship to Fe(OH)SO4, butlerite and parabutlerite. TMPM Tschermaks Mineralogische und Petrographische Mitteilungen, 28 (1). 17-29 doi:10.1007/bf01081848

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

Čejka, Jiří, Sejkora, Jiří, Plášil, Jakub, Bahfenne, Silmarilly, Palmer, Sara J., Frost, Ray L. (2011) A vibrational spectroscopic study of hydrated Fe3+ hydroxyl-sulfates; polymorphic minerals butlerite and parabutlerite. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 79 (5) 1356-1363 doi:10.1016/j.saa.2011.04.069

Localities for ButleriteHide

Showing 44 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.

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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.

Argentina
San Juan Province Calingasta Department Calingasta Quebrada Alcaparrosa ⓘ Santa Elena Mine	Palache et al. (1951)
Brazil
Minas Gerais Catas Altas ⓘ Quebra Osso mine	ATENCIO +2 other references
Canada
Ontario Greater Sudbury McKim Township ⓘ Sudbury area	Schindler et al. (2012)
Chile
Antofagasta Antofagasta Province Mejillones Mejillones peninsula ⓘ Barranca del Sulfato	Färber (n.d.)
ⓘ Unnamed Cu mine [1]	XRD by Joachim Lorenz
Sierra Gorda ⓘ Alcaparrosa Mine	samples analysed by Gerhard Moehn and ...
ⓘ La Compañia Mine	Samples analysed by Dr. Jochen Schluter
El Loa Province Calama Chuquicamata District ⓘ Chuquicamata Mine	Palache et al. (1951)
Toki Cu deposit (Toki Cluster) ⓘ Queténa Mine (Queténa Prospect)	Mineralogical Society of America - ...
Atacama ⓘ Copiapó Province	e-rocks.com (n.d.)
Tarapacá Tamarugal Province ⓘ Cerros Pintados	Peter G. Seroka collection
China
Guangdong Shaoguan Qujiang District ⓘ Dabaoshan Mine	Liu et al. (2018)
Qinghai Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Da Qaidam (Dachaidan Co.) Xitieshan ⓘ Xitieshan Mine	Wanmao Li et al. (1986)
Cuba
Isla de la Juventud special municipality Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Pines; Island of Youth) ⓘ Rio del Callejon deposit ?	Zwahr et al. (1999)
Germany
Lower Saxony Goslar District Langelsheim Astfeld ⓘ Herzog Julius smelter slag locality	Schnorrer-Köhler (1988)
Greece
Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Evros Alexandroupoli ⓘ Agios Philippos Mine	Triantafyllidis et al. (2007)
Hungary
Baranya County Pécs District ⓘ Pécs-Vasas	Szakáll et al. (2008)
Iran
Kerman Province Sirjan County Pariz ⓘ Sar Cheshmeh Mine (Sarcheshmeh Mine)	Khorasanipour (2015)
Yazd Province Ardakan County Kharanaq District Rabatat Rural District Saghand ⓘ Kavir-e-Sagand	Bariand et al. (1973) +1 other reference
Morocco
Marrakesh-Safi Region Marrakech Prefecture Bour Cercle ⓘ Kettara mine	Hakkou et al. (2008)
Souss-Massa Region Taroudant Province Taliouine Cercle Askaouen Caïdat Jebel Siroua ⓘ Zgounder Mine	Maya Gold and Silver
Peru
Arequipa Caylloma Province Chivay District ⓘ La Calera spring	Tyc et al. (2022)
Philippines
Luzon Calabarzon Region Batangas Province Mt. Makiling ⓘ Mudpool ?	Oles et al. (1998)
Poland
Silesian Voivodeship Rybnik County Gmina Czerwionka-Leszczyny ⓘ Dębieńsko Mine heap	Kruszewski (2013)
ⓘ Upper Silesian Coal Basin	Kruszewski (2013)
Wodzisław County Radlin ⓘ Marcel mine heap	Cu +3 other references
Portugal
Beja Aljustrel Aljustrel e Rio de Moinhos Aljustrel Mine ⓘ Algares deposit	Miguel Rocha's mineral collection
ⓘ Moinho deposit	Alves (n.d.)
Almodôvar Almodôvar e Graça dos Padrões ⓘ Cerro do Algaré Mine	Oliveira et al. (2025)
Romania
Maramureș County Băiuț ⓘ Johan Hell Mine ?	A. Januszewska PXRD data / Januszewska et al. (in preparation)
Russia
Kamchatka Krai Yelizovsky District Mutnovskoe ⓘ Mutnovsky volcano	Bortnikova et al. (2009, February)
ⓘ Severo‐Mutnovsky thermal fields	Bortnikova et al. (2009, February)
Sakhalin Oblast Kuril Islands Kurilsky District Iturup Island ⓘ Kudriavy volcano	maurice.strahlen.org (2004)
Slovakia
Košice Region Gelnica District ⓘ Smolník	Szakáll et al. (2014)
USA (TL)
Arizona Yavapai County Black Hills (Black Hill Range) Verde Mining District Jerome ⓘ United Verde Mine (TL)	Lausen (1928) +4 other references
California Inyo County Coso Hot Springs Coso Hot Springs deposit ⓘ Coso Mine (Devil's Kitchen; Atlas; Lynch & Lynch; Nicol; Walley-Mickey & Wheeler)	www.mineralsocal.org (1999)
Colorado Gunnison County ⓘ Cimarron	Eckel et al. (1997)
Nevada Washoe County Steamboat Springs Mining District ⓘ Steamboat Hot Springs	Castor et al. (2004)
New Mexico Santa Fe County La Bajada Mining District ⓘ Lone Star Mine	Northrop et al. (1996)
Utah Emery County Calf Mesa Mining District ⓘ Dexter group	Bullock (1981)
ⓘ Dexter No. 7 Mine	Rosenzweig et al. (1955)
Washington Chelan County Railroad Creek Mining District ⓘ Holden Mine	Kilburn et al. (1996)
Uzbekistan
Navoiy ⓘ Okzhetpes Ag-Au deposit	Ishbobaev et al. (2023)
Mars
Aeolis quadrangle Gusev Crater Columbia Hills Husband Hill Cumberland Ridge ⓘ Paso Robles site ?	Lane et al. (2008)

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⇱ Butlerite: Mineral information, data and localities.

Butlerite

About ButleriteHide

Unique IdentifiersHide

IMA Classification of ButleriteHide

Classification of ButleriteHide

Mineral SymbolsHide

Physical Properties of ButleriteHide

Optical Data of ButleriteHide

Chemistry of ButleriteHide

Crystallography of ButleriteHide

Crystal StructureHide

Epitaxial Relationships of ButleriteHide

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Geological EnvironmentHide

Type Occurrence of ButleriteHide

Other Language Names for ButleriteHide

Common AssociatesHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

Other InformationHide

Internet Links for ButleriteHide

References for ButleriteHide

Localities for ButleriteHide

Locality ListHide

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping Hide