The mineral liskeardite, an arsenate mineral with major cations of iron and aluminium, has been studied by a combination of scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The mineral shows a fibrous nature. Semi-quantitative chemical analysis shows an Al and Fe arsenate phase with minor amounts of K, Cu, S and Si. Scanning electron microscopy shows a fibrous material. Intense Raman bands at 893, 867 and 843 cm(-1) are assigned to the ν1 and ν3 AsO4(3)(-) and HOAsO3(2)(-) symmetric and antisymmetric stretching vibrations. Raman bands are observed at 514, 499, 485 and 477 cm(-1) and are assigned to the ν4 out of plane bending modes of the AsO4(3)(-) and HOAsO3(2)(-) units. The series of bands at 373, 356 and 343 cm(-1) are assigned to the ν2 symmetric bending modes. Two groups of OH stretching bands are observed and assigned to OH unit and water stretching vibrations. A comparison of the Raman spectrum of liskeardite with scorodite, kaňkite and yvonite is made.
Keywords: Arsenate; Infrared spectroscopy; Kaňkite; Liskeardite; Raman spectroscopy; Scorodite; Yvonite.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.