Crystal structure study of a cobaltoan dolomite from Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

A structural study has been undertaken on a cobaltoan dolomite, with chemical formula CaMg0.83Co0.17(CO3)2 (calcium magnesium cobalt dicarbonate), from Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo. Pale-pink euhedral cobaltoan dolomite was associated with kolwezite [(Cu1.33Co0.67)(CO3)(OH)2] and cobaltoan malachite [(Cu,Co)2(CO3)(OH)2]. A crystal with a Co:Mg ratio of 1:5.6 (SEM/EDAX measurement), twinned on (11 -2 0) was used for crystal structural refinement. The refinement of the structural model of Reeder & Wenk [Am. Mineral. (1983), 68, 769–776; Ca at site 3a with site symmetry -3; Mg site at site 3b with site symmetry -3; C at site 6c with site symmetry 3; O at site 18f with site symmetry 1] showed that Co is totally incorporated in the Mg site, with refined occupancy Mg0.83Co0.17, which compares with Mg0.85Co0.15 from chemical data. The Co substitution reflects in the expansion of the cell volume, with a pronounced increasing of the c cell parameter.

Keywords

• crystal structure
• dolomite
• cobaltoan
• Kolwezi